KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 ― The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has filed an appeal against a High Court decision in dismissing an application by the prosecution to forfeit a sum of RM1.15 million that were seized from Kedah Umno Liaison Committee (Kedah Umno) and Habib Jewels Sdn Bhd.

The money had been frozen by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly related to the  1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund scandal.

Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Rashid Sulaiman told reporters the notice of appeal was filed at the Court of Appeal last December 16.

"The prosecution also applied to postpone the execution of the order for the return of the property (RM1.15 million) to the respondents, namely Kedah Umno and Habib Jewels, last December 20,” he said after the case management before High Court deputy registrar Mahyudin Mohmad Som today.

Kedah Umno and Habib Jewels claimed that the monies, amounting RM1.05 million and RM100,000, respectively, were received from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Abdul Rashid said at today’s proceeding, the court also ordered Kedah Umno to file an affidavit-in-reply on the prosecution’s application for a stay of the order for the return of  the monies by January 7, while Habib Jewels given until January 14 to do so.

The court then set January 7 for management of the case involving Kedah Umno, represented by lawyer R. Hanita, and February 5 for Habib Jewels, represented by lawyer Gooi Yong Shuh.

Last December 13, High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali dismissed the application by the prosecution to forfeit a sum of RM1.15 million that were seized from Kedah Umno and Habib Jewels on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to prove its civil forfeiture cases against the two entities. ― Bernama