FORMER Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim has been remanded for four days under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code to assist in multiple graft investigations involving the pilgrims’ fund.

Magistrate Shah Wira Abd Halim also granted the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s request that Azeez’s brother, Latiff, and his cousin Mohamed Nazri, be remanded for four days.

All three were brought to the Putrajaya magistrates’ court this morning in orange lock-up clothing.

“It is in relation to some contracts given out to Tabung Haji. The amount was not stated. It was very general,” Azeez’s lead counsel, Devandan S. Subramaniam, told reporters outside the court after remand proceedings.

Azeez’s legal team of four lawyers submitted that remand was not required for police investigations. The court, however, ruled that their remand was required by the MACC for further questioning. 

“We told them it was not necessary for them to be remanded. Datuk Seri Azeez told the court that if need be, he would come at 9am at the MACC headquarters to provide his testimony,” Devandan said. 

Azeez, an Umno Supreme Council member and Baling MP, along with his brother and cousin were escorted out of the court by police and met by a dozen supporters.

The three were then taken back to MACC’s headquarters in Putrajaya.

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

A total of RM500,000 was seized, as well as 20 watches and almost RM1.2 million in foreign currencies from Bangladesh, the Maldives, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

Azeez later said the money belonged to Umno Baling, which he had withdrawn for zakat payments ahead of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

He also said that the watches were high-grade fakes.

Azeez was appointed to the Tabung Haji board in 2011 and became its chairman on July 1, 2013. – September 26, 2018.