KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — The Magistrate’s Court has issued arrest warrants against three individuals, including two sons of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, for failing to comply with notices from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to face charges today.
Magistrate Illi Marisqa Khalizan made the ruling after allowing an application by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat for arrest warrants to be issued against Muhammed Amir Zainuddin, 31; Muhammed Amin Zainuddin, 28; and businesswoman Josephine Premla.
“I am satisfied that the named individuals had knowledge of the notices issued by the MACC, but still failed to present themselves. The prosecution’s application has merit, and therefore, the arrest warrants are issued,” she said.
Yesterday, the MACC said it would take firm action, including initiating a Red Notice against Amir and Amin for failing to appear to give statements to the commission despite three notices.
Premla also failed to appear without a reasonable excuse despite being directed to do so.
However, the court allowed an application by lawyer Nizamuddin Hamid, who represented the trio, to temporarily stay the execution of the arrest warrants until the defence filed an application to set aside the warrants at the High Court, and until a decision on the stay.
Magistrate Marisqa said that in the case, notices under Section 30 of the MACC Act had been given by MACC to the lawyer and were sufficient to provide knowledge to his clients regarding MACC’s intention to conduct investigations.
“I agree that the first notice issued on February 13, 2026, for the named individuals to appear on February 14, 2026, was too short, but I believe the named individuals had knowledge of the matter based on a letter written on their behalf by their lawyer dated February 16, 2026.
“The MACC had allowed an application for an extension of time and gave a date of March 11, 2026, which was approximately three weeks after the first date the named individuals were supposed to appear. However, a letter from the lawyer dated March 9, 2026, stated that they could not attend and were only prepared to appear on March 30, 2026.
“MACC then gave a final date of April 6, 2026, as an extension, which I believe was about three weeks for the named individuals to attend. However, in a letter dated April 4, 2026, the named individuals stated they could not attend for the reasons given and requested a date in July 2026 to attend.
"Therefore, MACC filed this application for arrest warrants in court,” she said.
After examining the submissions of both the prosecution and the defence and referring to Section 47 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the court found there were grounds to believe that the named individuals had absconded.
“For the named individuals Muhammed Amir and Muhammed Amin, there are no supporting documents to prove their absence from the MACC office and from the first letter until the latest letter from the lawyer, there were no documents, including those related to universities and others, to confirm their absence, while for the third named individual (Josephine), no letter regarding travel abroad was attached.
“I am satisfied that the named individuals had knowledge of the investigation by MACC through the involvement of the lawyer in the correspondence between them; however, after time was given, the named individuals still failed to provide cooperation,” Magistrate Marisqa said.
Earlier, when submitting arguments on the application for the arrest warrants, Mahadi said the two siblings failed to appear at the MACC office three times since being instructed by MACC on February 14, while Premla failed to appear twice.
Lawyer Nizamuddin, who objected to the application, said Muhammed Amir and Muhammed Amin are pursuing their studies in law and accounting in the United Kingdom and that MACC had given short notice to his clients, preventing them from responding in time.
“There was no notification or document obtained by us stating that the clients would be charged today or prosecuted. They were only supposed to attend to give statements.
"Two of my clients are students, and another is an elderly person. Why would they abscond?” he said.
Earlier today, Daim’s daughter Asnida Abdul Daim, 65, was charged at the Sessions Court with failing to declare shareholdings in five companies in 2023. She pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out before Judge Rosli Ahmad.
