KUALA LUMPUR – The High Court today granted Datin Seri Pamela Ling Yueh leave to initiate judicial review proceedings in her effort to nullify a warrant of arrest issued against her.
Pamela, 42, who has been reported missing since April 9, was last known to be on her way to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya via an e-hailing service. A missing persons report was lodged at 3.02pm the same day. She has not been seen since.
According to local media, Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh allowed her application to challenge the warrant of arrest, which was issued by the Johor Bahru Magistrate’s Court on December 2 last year at the MACC’s request. Pamela has been living in Singapore since 2008.
In court, she also sought a declaration that the MACC has no legal authority, either directly or indirectly, to prevent individuals from leaving Malaysia, except through procedures outlined under Section 44 of the MACC Act and Section 44(4) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. She is further seeking a mandamus order to compel the Immigration Department director-general to allow her to return to Singapore.
The judge ruled in her favour after hearing submissions from her counsel Datuk Malik Imtiaz Sarwar and Senior Federal Counsel Mohd Faisal Md Noor, concluding that the application raised arguable legal questions.
Earlier, Mohd Faisal informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Chambers did not object to the leave application except for the challenge against the warrant of arrest, which he said must be pursued through criminal court channels, not via judicial review. He noted that past court rulings had established that judicial review is confined to actions taken by the Executive and Legislative arms.
When asked by the judge why the MACC had applied for the warrant, Mohd Faisal said, “She did not turn up at MACC headquarters when requested to do so.”
The court has set June 3 for case management.
Yesterday, police said investigations into Pamela’s disappearance remain ongoing. Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa confirmed that statements were recorded from her three children, aged between 18 and 20, at the Woodlands Police Headquarters in Singapore on Saturday, along with a family friend.
“I have seen the text (of the statement), and there is indeed information that can help the investigation, especially regarding Pamela’s last known movements. Among them, she was still in contact with her family on April 8 and 9,” Rusdi told reporters.
To date, police have taken statements from 42 individuals. Her husband, who was detained on May 15, was released the next day on police bail after a remand request was denied by the court.
Rusdi added that there is no record of Pamela having left the country, but authorities have not ruled out the possibility that she may have exited via unofficial means.
“It is most likely that she is still in the country, but there is also a possibility she is abroad,” he said.
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