LAWYERS of former spy chief Hasanah Abdul Hamid have slammed MACC for making public comments regarding her and the alleged misappropriation of US$12 million (RM49.5 million) from government coffers.

Hasanah was arrested yesterday and is being remanded until Monday without access to lawyers.

Her lawyer Shaharudin Ali said during yesterday’s remand hearing that they were served a notice which blocked Hasanah from consulting her lawyers during the remand period.

“The next day, today that is, we see the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) issuing a lot of statements adverse to our client,” said lead counsel Shaharudin in a statement today.

“Some of these statements were picked up by the press. While MACC is free to spray around damaging statements about Hasanah, we were not allowed to assist her or even to obtain her instructions and respond accordingly. So much of the rule of law.”

Her lawyers said they were issued the notice under section 28A(8) & (9) of the Criminal Procedure Code at the remand hearing at the Putrajaya magistrates’ court.

He said the notice meant that Hasanah would have no access to her lawyers for the five days “that she would be under interrogation”.

“We would not be around to advise and to consult her.”

Shaharudin said Hasanah’s legal team will issue proceedings against MACC at the Kuala Lumpur High Court to seek a declaration that the notice is ultra vires the federal constitution and is therefore void.

“Accordingly it is our view that MACC’s interrogations of Hasanah in violation of the law, in our absence, is also worthless and void,” he said, adding that oral arguments are expected to take place this Monday.

Hasanah was detained to assist investigations into the arrest of seven former administrative and diplomatic officers from the Prime Minister’s Department.

Earlier today, MACC deputy chief commissioner Azam Baki said that the anti-graft agency had seized US$6.3 million from several locations during a probe into alleged misappropriation of funds by former government intelligence officers.

The largest stash, US$4.07 million, was found in a rented condominium in Cyberjaya last night. – August 30, 2018.