FORMER Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim has been released on bail, after his 10-day Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission remand ended today.

The Putrajaya magistrates’ court ordered the release of Azeez and his brother, who were brought to the court at 9.30am.

“They were released on a RM1 million bail jointly,” said Azeez’s lawyer, K. Kumareandran.

He said the duo were not ordered to surrender their passports.

The Baling MP and his brother, Latiff, had been remanded since September 26.

Azeez, who is also an Umno Supreme Council member, was detained at 11am at the MACC headquarters on September 25.

Latiff was picked up in Sg Buloh just a few minutes later, and their cousin, who is a company director, was arrested at 5.30pm in Putrajaya the same day.

The cousin was ordered released on a RM10,000 bail with two sureties on Saturday.

In May, shortly after Pakatan Harapan won federal power, MACC raided at least three properties linked to Azeez – his homes in Subang Jaya, Selangor, and Baling, Kedah, as well as his office in Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

A total of RM500,000 was seized, as well as at least 20 watches and almost RM1.2 million in Bangladeshi, Maldivian, Saudi Arabian and British currencies.

Azeez has said the money belongs to Baling Umno, and that he had withdrawn the sum for zakat payments ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

He also said the watches are high-grade fakes.

Azeez was appointed to the Tabung Haji board in 2011, and became chairman on July 1, 2013. He tendered his resignation as chairman on May 14 this year.

Upon their release, Azeez and Latiff were taken to Putrajaya Hospital for a check-up.

Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam told The Malaysian Insight that the duo would head straight to hospital after the court proceedings.

“They have to undergo a medical check-up, to see whether they had been abused in custody.

“They didn’t stay long, and they won’t speak to reporters.”

He said Azeez and Latiff were ordered released after investigators failed to find evidence linking the two to a corruption case.

“There is no evidence to link the two. They (investigators) failed to find any proof, because there is no proof.

“Azeez has won. He came to court in the orange MACC lock-up attire, but he was released wearing a a full suit.

“That’s already a victory for us,” he told a crowd of supporters.

Lokman, along with some 50 people, were at the magistrates’ court today, donning orange T-shirts in solidarity with Azeez.

No untoward incident took place. – October 5, 2018.