FORMER Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and his brother, Abdul Latif, had the first day of their corruption trial today vacated to allow the former to attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting.

According to Malaysiakini, following an application by Azeez’s lawyer, Hisham Teh Poh Teik, Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi agreed to postpone the trial to tomorrow.

“Abdul Azeez is needed in the Dewan Rakyat after it was made compulsory for all government lawmakers to be present today, when the finance minister tables the Temporary Measures for Reducing The Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Bill 2020 for its second reading,” Hisyam was quoted as saying by the news portal.

Deputy public prosecutors Aslinda Ahad and Nik Haslinie Hashim did not raise any objections.

Azura then allowed the application and vacated today’s proceedings. She ordered that proceedings start tomorrow at 9am with the first witness to take the stand.

On January 16 last year, Azeez was charged with three counts of allegedly receiving bribes totalling RM5.2 million over road projects in Perak and Kedah, and nine counts of money laundering involving more than RM140 million.

On the same day, Latif was charged with two counts of allegedly abetting Azeez in committing the offences.

The charges come under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, while the money-laundering charges are under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. – August 18, 2020.