BUTTERWORTH: A 41 year-old single mother with a ‘Datin Seri’ title pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court today to not declaring her assets to the authorities.
Datin Seri Sua Lai Kim denied committing the offence of not complying with a written notice from the Attorney-General (AG)’s Chambers to disclose her properties between June 19 and Sept 1 last year.
She is alleged to have violated Section 49(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 for failing to declare her properties, purchased between Jan 1, 2010 and April 30, 2015, to the AG’s Chambers.
Sua is liable to pay a RM3 million fine or spend three years in jail, or both upon conviction.
The widow, who currently resides in Singapore with her four children aged between two and ten years old, was represented by lawyers Datuk Jagjit Singh and K. Mahendran, while Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Ashikin Mokhtar prosecuted.
Sua, who was clad in a grey, long-sleeved top and black trousers, claimed trial before Sessions judge Norhayati Mohamad Yunus.
Nur Ashikin proposed that the bail be set at RM50,000 with two sureties and her passport be impounded by the court.
Jagjit, a former Sessions judge, objected to Nur Ashikin's proposal and pleaded for leniency to lower the bail which was deemed too expensive, and allow his client to hold on to her passport so she can travel to Singapore to take care of her children until the case has been disposed of.
Norhayati set the bail at RM20,000 with two sureties and allowed Sua to hold on to her passport and fixed mention for Dec 20.