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Pekan UMNO man fails in bid to settle RM100,00 forfeiture suit

The MACC is seeking to recover a total of RM270 million said to be 1MDB money from 41 individuals and organisations.

KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya has rejected an offer by a Pekan Umno division committee member to pay only RM50,000 as settlement to stop the government from commencing with its forfeiture suit.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Allan Suman Pillai told High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Ghazali today the offer was made through a letter of representation by Ibrahim Awang Ismail, the division’s education bureau head.

“The offer letter dated July 17 to pay 50% of the RM100,000 sought has been dismissed.

“I understand the respondent’s lawyers will make another representation for a global settlement,” he said.

Pillai then explained to the judge that lawyers for Ibrahim have indicated that he will return the entire RM100,000 for the government to withdraw its action.

Meanwhile, lawyer Nur Shafiqa Balqish Jafri, who appeared for Ibrahim, said her client’s application to strike out the government’s suit would remain pending a decision on the second representation.

Nazlan fixed Aug 23 for parties to update him on the representation.

The government is also seeking RM700,000 from the Pekan Umno division led by former prime minister Najib Razak

The division has also filed an application to strike out the government’s forfeiture suit against it over funds allegedly from 1MDB which were deposited into its bank account.

In June, MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said the agency had filed 41 forfeiture lawsuits against various individuals and organisations over funds allegedly channelled from Najib’s bank account.

The government is seeking to recover a total of RM270 million from them.