KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — The Sessions Court here has issued a third-party notice to any individual who wishes to challenge the forfeiture of jewellery seized from Salwani Anuar @ Kamaruddin, the wife of former Malaysian Army chief Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan.
The court action marks another development in an ongoing case involving allegations of money laundering and the seizure of assets under laws administered by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Judge Azura Alwi fixed July 31 for the hearing of any claims by third parties who may have an interest in the jewellery. The court warned that if no claims are submitted, the assets will be forfeited to the government.
The notice was issued under Section 41(2) of the MACC Act 2009 after the court allowed an application filed by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat.
Salwani’s lawyer, Muhammad Kausar Mohd Khairi, informed the court that his client did not object to the prosecution’s application.
According to court documents filed on May 4, the prosecution is seeking the forfeiture of several jewellery items, including a necklace weighing 29.17 grammes, a bracelet weighing 9.53 grammes, a pair of earrings weighing 6.61 grammes, and a Swarovski ring.
The jewellery was seized under Subsection 41(1) of the MACC Act 2009 and remains under the custody of the MACC pending the outcome of the forfeiture proceedings.
The forfeiture application is linked to criminal charges already facing Salwani. On January 22, she was charged with four counts of receiving money allegedly derived from unlawful activities. The amounts involved were RM50,000, RM7,000, RM10,000 and RM10,000.
According to the charges, the funds were allegedly deposited into a company bank account at a bank in Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, between November 24, 2024 and November 25, 2025.
The charges were framed under Subsection 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act. If convicted, the offence carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of no less than five times the value of the alleged unlawful proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
In a separate but related matter, Salwani was also charged at the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court on January 26 with receiving RM5,000 allegedly linked to unlawful activities. The money was said to have been deposited into her personal bank account in Jertih, near Besut, on January 16, 2025.
The Kuala Terengganu case has since been transferred to the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur, where it will be heard together with the other charges.
The upcoming July 31 hearing is expected to determine whether any interested parties will step forward to claim ownership or rights over the seized jewellery. If no valid claims are presented, the court may order the assets to be forfeited to the government in accordance with the MACC Act.
