PONTIAN member of Parliament Ahmad Maslan pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today to charges of money laundering for failing to declare RM2 million received from Najib Razak to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) and giving a false statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

“I understand and I plead not guilty,” he said when asked by the court interpreter before judge Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh.

Ahmad, 55, had pleaded not guilty to the charges for the first time on July 13 after the court allowed his application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

In allowing Ahmad to apply for the RM500,000 bail imposed by the Sessions Court when he was charged for the first time on January 21 last year, the High Court set September 29 for case management

At today’s proceeding, the prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar, informed the court that it would be calling 10 witnesses to testify.

The hearing for the case had been set for 23 days next year, from June 7 to 9, June 13 to 15, July 18 to 21 and July 25 to 28, and August 15 to 19 and August 22 to 25. The dates had been agreed to by Ahmad’s lawyer, Hamidi Mohd Noh.

On the charge of money laundering, Ahmad was alleged to have violated Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 by not stating his real income on the RM2 million he received from the former prime minister in the Income Tax Return Form for Assessment Year 2013.

The former deputy finance minister was alleged to have received the money, allegedly proceeds from unlawful activities, via a check from AmIslamic Bank Berhad dated November 27, 2013 which he personally cashed on the same day

The offence was allegedly committed at the IRB, Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, on April 30, 2014.

The charge, framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides a maximum fine of RM5 million, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.

The other charge was for giving false statements to the MACC when questioned by investigating officer Mohd Zairi Zainal over the issue at the media conference room, at the Parliament building between 2.45pm and 3.30pm on July 4, 2019.

The charge, framed under Section 32(8)c) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, provides a maximum fine of RM3 million, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both if found guilty. – Bernama, August 24, 2021.