Bekas pengerusi TH, Azeez didakwa salah guna kuasa

Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, the former chairman of the Haj Trust Fund (TH), has pleaded guilty to charges of abusing his position to gain financial benefits, according to court proceedings in Kuala Lumpur. A 60-year-old man, Azeez faces up to 20 years in prison and a hefty fine of at least RM10,000, or five times the value of the benefits he allegedly received, whichever is higher.

Charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Agency Act 2009, he is alleged to have improperly utilized his TH position to secure a seat on a board for another company, along with a RM690,000 yearly salary and a BMW 7 Series car with a chauffeur. Additionally, Azeez is accused of steering Ismee Ismail, TH's executive officer at the time, to approve a RM193.5 million investment plan in Putrajaya Perdana, in which he allegedly had a vested interest.

The alleged misconduct took place at TH headquarters on August 25, 2014. Under Section 24(1) of the same Act, Azeez could face imprisonment for up to 20 years and the same substantial fine if found guilty. The court granted Azeez a RM450,000 bail with two sureties and ordered him to report to the SPRM office monthly. The case is scheduled to be heard on November 11.

Azeez's lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, and Deputy Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, along with Law Chin How, represented Azeez during the mitigation hearing. While the prosecution did not contest the bail, they requested RM1 million in bail with two sureties. However, Amer suggested the amount was excessive, as he knew the charges would be enforced when Azeez was detained the previous month.

"If he wishes to flee, he is free to do so; otherwise, he must contact us (lawyers) for assistance," Amer said. Prior to the hearing, Azeez appeared before a magistrate to request a remission of the bond examination related to the SPRM investigation into TH.