Former finance minister Daim Zainuddin died on Nov 13 at the age of 86. KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian court has acquitted former finance minister Daim Zainuddin from failing to declare his assets, a week after his death. Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi made the order of acquittal under Section 254(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code after the prosecution said they do not wish to pursue the case.
“The court extends its condolences to the family of the deceased. May his soul be placed within the righteous,” The Star reported her as saying on Nov 20. Tun Daim died on Nov 13 at the age of 86, after being admitted in October to Assunta Hospital in Petaling Jaya following a stroke.
However, Mr Daim’s counsel Gurdial Singh Nijar on Nov 20 said the former minister had wanted the case to continue. Datuk Gurdial said Mr Daim’s dying wish was to clear his name, reported financial weekly The Edge Malaysia. His family has also wanted the case to proceed.
His widow, Na’imah Abdul Khalid, 66, on Nov 19 has urged prosecutors to continue with the case for the defence team to clear Mr Daim’s name in court. “Daim looked forward to his day in court and had no doubt that he would be finally acquitted,” she said. Mr Daim, whose full name was Che Abdul Daim Zainuddin, was a close ally of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, and had served two stints as the country’s finance minister in the latter’s Cabinet from 1984 to 1991 and from 1999 to 2001.
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