Lawyer: Ex-spy agency boss released, ordered to surrender passport
Yiswaree Palansamy
Malay Mail3 September 2018
Hasanah was detained by MACC last Tuesday and remanded for five days to assist in investigations into alleged abuse of power and misappropriation of government funds. — Bernama picMore
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid, the director-general of the now defunct Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO), was today released by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after her remand expired.
Her lawyer Datuk Shaharudin Ali confirmed this when contacted by Malay Mail, adding that the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court had ordered his client to surrender her passport.
"She was released at about 1pm. When she was released, she went back to MACC to sign a few documents and from there she went home," he said.
He also said that if Hasanah needed to travel overseas, she can make a written request for her passport.
Earlier today, news portal Malaysiakini quoted another lawyer for Hasanah, Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, as saying that Magistrate Nik Muizzuddin Nik Muhammad had rejected MACC’s request to have Hasanah pay a deposit of RM50,000 for her release.
"From what I can understand, the Magistrate was not convinced that it was necessary for Datuk Hasanah to pay any amount of money to the MACC, as a guarantee that she would not leave the country," Shaharuddin told Malay Mail.
"So even without the RM50,000, she would abide by any request by MACC if they wanted to see her.”
Hasanah was detained by MACC last Tuesday, and remanded for five days beginning Wednesday, to assist in investigations into alleged abuse of power and misappropriation of government funds.
The remand order was yesterday extended for another day.
On August 30, MACC said it seized a total of US$6.3 million (RM25.95 million) in US currency from various locations nationwide while investigating the MEIO for allegedly siphoning funds meant for the 14th General Election.
MACC Chief Commissioner of Operations Datuk Seri Azam Baki also revealed that US$4.07 million in cash was seized with the arrest of a businessman in Kelantan on August 29.
He did not rule out the possibility investigations could involve 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), saying it was among the angles being covered by investigators.
