KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — An application by Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan to strike out charges of money laundering and providing false statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was struck out by the Sessions Court here this morning. 

Justice Azman Ahmad in delivering his brief judgement, dismissed the application and explained that such an action at this stage of the case was deemed as premature. 

"The court is also of the view that the charges brought against the accused are not groundless. 

"Therefore the court rejects the application of this criminal application,” said Azman. 

Ahmad’s lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh then told the court that the defence will submit an appeal against the judgement, with Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Noor Hafizan Zakaria present. 

This is in regards to Ahmad’s charges which accuse him of failing to declare a RM2 million cheque he received from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and also for allegedly giving related false statements to the MACC. 

Earlier this month, the court had heard the submissions from lawyers on both sides, where Hamidi had asserted that his client did not have the said monies and therefore should not be liable to the alleged charges, calling them groundless. 

DPP Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar had then submitted that the facts of the case were yet to be deliberated in court, and had urged the court to strike out the application to allow prosecution witnesses to provide evidence in court. 

On January 21, the Pontian MP pleaded not guilty to both charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (Amla) Act 2001.

In the first charge, Ahmad was accused of accepting a cheque of RM2 million and failing to declare the amount to the Inland Revenue Board and therefore have violated Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967.

In the second charge, he was accused of providing false statements to a MACC officer by stating that he had not received the cheque worth RM2 million from Najib.

Ahmad allegedly received the AmIslamic bank cheque from Najib dated November 27, 2013 and banked in the monies the same day.

He allegedly committed the crime under the second charge in Parliament’s press conference room on July 4, 2019.

Azman then set case mention on September 4, with the trial set to commence for six days throughout October to December.