FORMER prime minister Najib Razak is not the only Umno leader who is facing a corruption trial.

Eight more Umno leaders have been charged. While some cases are in various stages of the court process, others have been acquitted of all charges.

The Malaysian Insight takes a closer look at those from the party who have been charged with corruption.

Najib Razak

* 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) – RM2.28 billion

In the 1MDB trial, Najib was slapped with 25 charges on September 20, 2018. This trial is ongoing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

* 1MDB audit tampering

In this trial, Najib was charged with abuse of power as a public officer in his capacity as the then prime minister and finance minister in altering the 1MDB audit report, which was to be tabled to the Public Accounts Committee in 2016. This was so that no action could be taken against him by parliament.

Najib and Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah

* International Petroleum Investment Co (IPIC)

Najib and former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah are jointly facing six charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM6.64 billion of government funds for payments to IPIC.

They were charged under section 409 of the penal code, read together with section 34.

* SRC International Sdn Bhd – RM27 million

This involves three additional counts of money laundering involving RM27 million belonging to SRC.

On all the three charges, Najib is alleged to have been involved in money laundering by accepting RM27 million, RM10 million and RM10 million, which were proceeds from illegal activities, in his three AmPrivate Banking accounts.

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

The Umno president is facing a total of 87 corruption charges.

* 40 bribery charges in relation to Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) – visa contract system

Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving the S$13.56 million bribes from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) as an inducement.

On another seven counts, Zahid was charged, as the then home minister, to have obtained for himself S$1.15 million, RM3 million, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 in cash from the same company in connection with his official work.

He was charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.

From February 2013 to October 2019, UKSB operated visa facilitation services in China for Malaysia-bound travellers, following the inking of an agreement with the Malaysian government in 2012 to provide such services.

UKSB administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun testified that the company also contributed more than RM70 million to at least 11 politicians, including Zahid.

The politicians named in court are former prime ministers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Muhyiddin Yassin, Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Housing and Local Government Reezal Merican Naina Merican, former transport minister and MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy, former MCA secretary-general and former second minister of international trade and industry Ong Ka Chuan, former foreign minister Anifah Aman and Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan.

They have denied receiving any money from UKSB.

* 47 charges in relation to Yayasan Akal Budi

In this trial, Zahid is facing 12 counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM31.06 million, eight corruption charges involving RM21.25 million and 27 money laundering charges involving RM72 million.

For the CBT charges, Zahid is alleged to have used the funds to make six payments for his personal credit card usage, insurance policy and licences for his personal vehicles, remittances to a law firm and contributions to the Royal Malaysia Police Football Association.

The charges, under section 409 of the penal code, provide for a jail term of between two and 20 years, and whipping and a fine, upon conviction.

Zahid was also charged with eight counts of bribery, where he is alleged to have accepted bribes from three companies – Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services, Data Sonic Group Bhd and Profound Radiance Sdn Bhd – as an inducement for him in his capacity as the home minister then to help the companies to obtain MyEG projects, supply passport chips and to be appointed the operator of the migrant visa one-stop centres in Pakistan and Nepal respectively.

The Bagan Datuk MP also faces 27 charges of money laundering by engaging in direct transactions involving income from illegal activities between March 29, 2016 and April 11, 2018.

Bung Moktar Radin

Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin and his wife, Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, have been ordered to enter their defence by the Sessions Court today after being charged with two counts of bribery in relation to RM2.8 million in connection with a Public Mutual Bhd unit trust investment.

On May 3, 2019, Bung, 64, pleaded not guilty to two charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra’s approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.

Bung, who was the non-executive chairman of Felcra at the time, is accused of accepting bribes from an investment agent, Madhi Abdul Hamid, through Zizie Izette at Public Bank’s Taman Melawati branch in Kuala Lumpur between 12.30pm and 5pm on June 12, 2015.

He also pleaded not guilty to accepting an RM335,500 cash bribe from unit trust consultant Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar under the name of Zizie Izette for similar reasons, at the same place on June 19, 2015.

Zizie Izette, 44, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of abetting her husband in the matter at the same place, date and time.

Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim

The former Lembaga Tabung Haji chairman is facing three charges of receiving bribes amounting to RM5.2 million in connection with road projects in Perak and Kedah and 10 counts of money laundering involving a total of RM13.9 million that he allegedly received from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.

He is accused of committing the offences at CIMB Bank in Jalan Tun Perak, Kuala Lumpur on December 8, 2010, and at Affin Bank, Pusat Bandar Puchong, Selangor on June 13, 2017 and April 10, 2018, while the money laundering acts were allegedly committed around the Klang Valley between March 8, 2010 and August 30, 2018.

On March 12, the High Court dismissed Azeez’s application to quash the three corruption charges he is facing pertaining to the road projects in Perak and Kedah as well as the 10 money laundering charges.

His bid to strike out the charges will be heard by the Court of Appeal on September 5, after the initial date of August 26 was vacated as Azeez was unwell.

Mohd Isa Abdul Samad

Isa, the former Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) chairman was found guilty of nine corruption charges involving RM3 million last year.

He was charged with nine counts of bribery amounting to RM3.09 million involving the RM160 million acquisition of Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites in Kuching, Sarawak.

The court sentenced him to six years in prison for each charge, making a total of 54 years and a fine of RM15.45 million or 18 years in prison if he fails to pay the fine.

Case management for his appeal has been fixed for September 8.

Shahrir Abdul Samad

The former Felda chairman was charged with failing to declare RM1 million, which he received from Najib Razak, to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

The trial is currently underway at the Kuala Lumpur High Court before judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin.

He was charged with money laundering by not stating his real income in the income tax return for assessment year 2013, which is a violation of section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967, on the RM1 million believed to be from unlawful activities, which he received from Najib through a cheque.

He was charged with committing the offence at IRB, Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, Kuala Lumpur on April 25, 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 for a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.

Who has been acquitted?

Ahmad Maslan

The Umno secretary-general was first charged under sections 4(1) and 32(8) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activity Act 2001, where he received RM2 million from Najib, which was said to be from 1MDB.

Ahmad, who was also charged with giving a false statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, claimed trial to the charges.

The Pontian MP was eventually acquitted after he agreed to pay a compound of RM1.1 million.

Musa Aman

The former Sabah chief minister faced 30 charges of corruption and 16 of money laundering. All charges were, however, dropped.

The charges alleged that Musa in his capacity as chief minister and chairman of the board of trustees of the Sabah Foundation had received US$50.1 million from eight logging concessionaires as an inducement to approve logging concessions for 16 companies.

He was alleged to have committed the offences at eight banks and financial institutions in Hong Kong, China and Singapore between December 20, 2004 and November 6, 2008.

In reference to the money laundering charges, Musa allegedly instructed Richard Christopher Barnes, 67, to open an account at UBS AG Bank in the latter’s name, with the intention of receiving proceeds of illegal activities through the account.

He also allegedly received US$37.84 million and S$2.5 million in proceeds from illegal activities from several individuals through the account under Barnes’ name.

Musa was also alleged to have concealed the proceeds of illegal activities.

Tengku Adnan Mansor

The former federal territories minister was convicted by High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan for graft involving RM2 million that entered into a company account, which he controlled in 2020.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ jail and fined RM2 million.

However, this decision was reversed by the Court of Appeal. He was acquitted and discharged of the graft charge. – September 2, 2022.