KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today allowed the government to forfeit a total of RM835,258.19 seized from the Pahang MCA Liaison committee two years ago.
Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin made the ruling after allowing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) application.
The funds were frozen by the anti-graft agency two years ago over its alleged links to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.
Jamil in his decision said the anti-graft body had proven its case against the committee on the balance of probabilities.
"The respondent (Pahang MCA) never denied that the monies in its account was part of RM3 million donation they received from Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
"The respondent claimed they had spent all the monies that they received from Najib.
"However, they failed to produce any bank statements to support their claims," he said.
Jamil said he was satisfied that the monies seized from the respondent was part of the RM3 million donation from the former premier.
"I am satisfied that the monies seized is from illegal activities," said Jamil.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh prosecuted while counsel Datuk Ben Chan and Ken Low Hai Liang appeared for the respondent.
On June 21 last year, the MACC filed civil forfeiture applications against 41 people and entities, including Umno, to recover RM270 million allegedly taken from 1MDB.
Its then chief commissioner, Latheefa Koya, said the funds were allegedly transferred from Najib's personal Ambank account.