UMNO regains access to account, withdraws contempt bid against CIMB

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — UMNO today withdrew its application to initiate contempt proceedings against CIMB Bank, as the political party has regained access to its account there.

Lawyer Tania Scivetti, who appeared for UMNO, told High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan that instructions had been given to her to withdraw the application, which was supposed to be heard  today.

Justice Mohamed Zaini allowed the withdrawal request  and struck out the application.

Meanwhile, CIMB’s lawyer Rabindra Nathan informed the court that  UMNO had been given access to its account since last Friday.

“It (the freeze on the account) was lifted at 2.22 pm on July 3,” he said.

On July 2, UMNO sought to commence contempt proceedings against CIMB over claims that the bank had not complied with a ruling on June 19 in which the High Court dismissed the prosecution’s attempt to stay its decision on a forfeiture application.

On Feb 7, Justice Mohamed Zaini had denied  the government's application to forfeit monies amounting to RM192,965,413.61 from UMNO allegedly received from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The sum believed to be linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal was seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) from UMNO.

In his verdict, the judge said it could not be convincingly proven that the monies were given by the former prime minister and that there was no evidence to prove that they came from unlawful activities.

The forfeiture application was filed in accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

— BERNAMA