Toh Puan Na’imah Khalid expressed her belief that her husband, Tun Daim Zainuddin, a former finance minister, is the target of a smear campaign aimed at portraying him as corrupt solely due to his wealth.
She argued that this perception is baseless and could potentially subject any successful businessperson to false allegations. Speaking to reporters outside the national headquarters of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Na’imah emphasized that once such accusations are made public, they become difficult to dispel.
She stated that in a free and democratic country like Malaysia, attaining success in business and accumulating wealth should not be considered an offense. On the contrary, it should be viewed as a positive contribution to the nation's economy, generating job opportunities. According to Na’imah, her husband had already established himself as a prosperous businessman even before entering public office in 1984.
She pointed out that Daim's success was widely recognized by the media, referring to him as a tycoon and a multi-millionaire. Na’imah argued for the principle of "innocence until proven guilty" to be respected and upheld in a court of law. She perceived the campaign against Daim as originating from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's remarks questioning the source of her husband's wealth.
She questioned whether the Prime Minister implied that capable and hardworking Malay businessmen could only achieve wealth through improper or illegal means, suggesting that such statements perpetuated false stereotypes about the Malay community's capabilities. The MACC confirmed that investigations into allegations of corruption and money laundering against Daim commenced on December 23.
The agency had seized Daim's ILHAM Tower, a commercial property, on December 18. Daim himself referred to the MACC's investigation as a "political witch hunt" and strongly denied any involvement in corrupt activities by himself or his family. The MACC's investigation was initiated in February 2023, based on information gathered from the Pandora Papers.
These papers contained findings published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in October 2021, which analyzed leaked confidential documents relating to offshore companies in 91 countries and territories, including politicians and public officials. The MACC invoked Section 36(1)(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, requiring Daim to make a sworn declaration of all his assets, both within the country and abroad, within 30 days of June 7.
Daim had requested five extensions for this asset declaration since last July, all of which were granted. It is clear that Na’imah passionately believes her husband is being unjustly targeted due to his success in business and industry. She highlights the importance of fairness and upholding the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
The MACC's investigation, based on information from the Pandora Papers, has caused significant public attention and controversy surrounding Daim's reputation. The ongoing investigation will ultimately determine whether these allegations of corruption and money laundering hold true.
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