Former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim did not choose or insist on appearing in court wearing a purple police lock-up uniform and handcuffs, his lawyer said on Wednesday.
Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad said the 60-year-old former Baling MP was not given an opportunity to change his clothes before being brought to the Kuala Lumpur court complex to face charges of allegedly using his position to obtain gratification under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
He said Abdul Azeez remained in police custody following a remand hearing linked to an investigation into alleged fraud involving Tabung Haji hibah payments.
“We were surprised by the statement attributed to MACC suggesting that Abdul Azeez chose or insisted on wearing the lock-up attire and handcuffs when appearing in court,” Amer Hamzah said in a statement.
He said Abdul Azeez was initially allowed to wear his own clothes before leaving the police lock-up.
However, Amer Hamzah claimed police later instructed him to change into the purple lock-up uniform in accordance with Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) standard operating procedures.
Abdul Azeez was subsequently brought before Sessions Court Two for the police remand application, where a two-day remand order was granted.
Amer Hamzah said the handcuffs were also applied by police, not MACC.
After the remand proceedings, Abdul Azeez was taken directly from Sessions Court Two to Sessions Court Nine, where the MACC charges were read to him.
“He was not released from police custody between the two proceedings, including during the transfer from one courtroom to another,” he said.
As a result, Abdul Azeez had no opportunity to change out of his lock-up attire before the MACC proceedings, the lawyer said.
“Therefore, our client’s appearance in purple lock-up attire and handcuffs during the subsequent MACC proceedings was not his personal choice.
“He was brought directly to those proceedings in the same clothing and condition as when he attended the police remand proceedings,” he said.
Amer Hamzah said any suggestion that Abdul Azeez voluntarily chose to appear in that condition was inaccurate and could create a misleading impression of what had happened.
He said the clarification was intended to address any misunderstanding arising from reports about Abdul Azeez’s appearance in court.
The lawyer also said his client reserved the right to take appropriate legal action against anyone who created, published, circulated or maintained what he described as false or misleading narratives about the incident.
Earlier, MACC said Abdul Azeez had chosen and insisted on wearing the lock-up uniform and handcuffs to court despite being advised by MACC officers and police personnel accompanying him that he could wear ordinary clothes and did not need to be handcuffed.
The anti-graft agency stressed that his appearance in lock-up attire and handcuffs was not ordered or requested by any party, particularly MACC.
