Wife Of Ex-army Chief Charged With Receiving RM77,000 In Proceeds From Unlawful Activities

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- Salwani Anuar @ Kamaruddin, wife of former Chief of Army Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, was today charged in the Sessions Court with four counts of receiving RM77,000 in proceeds from unlawful activities.

Salwani, 27, pleaded not guilty after all four charges were read out to her before Judge Rosli Ahmad.

On the first to fourth charges, the woman, as the controller of Wany Venture, was accused of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities involving sums of RM50,000, RM7,000, RM10,000 and RM10,000, which were deposited into a bank account belonging to the company at a bank’s Damansara Heights branch at Wisma UOA II here between Nov 24, 2024 and Nov 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 2001, read together with Subsection 87(1)(a) of the same Act, and are punishable under Subsection 4(1) of the Act.

The section provides for a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of up to five times the sum or value of the proceeds from the unlawful activities or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin proposed bail of between RM30,000 and RM50,000 in two sureties, along with the additional conditions that the accused surrender her passport to the court and report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office on the first week of every month.

“The bail we are proposing is not oppressive, as this involves a serious offence, and the bail amount reflects the gravity of the charges. The accused’s passport must also be surrendered to the court because of the risk of her absconding, given the seriousness of the case,” he said.

Salwani’s lawyer Fahmi Abd Moin appealed for leniency on the grounds that his client has no fixed income, as she is a housewife running an online business and supporting her parents.

“Today, her husband, Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, was charged in the Sessions Court here and was granted bail of RM250,000. My client is still dependent on her husband and lives alone in a rented house paid for by him.

“She has also fully cooperated with the MACC during her six days in remand. We do not object to the additional conditions proposed by the prosecution,” he said.

Earlier, the court allowed Salwani to remain seated while the charges were read, after her lawyer informed that she was experiencing pain in her thigh due to a chronic boil.

The court allowed Salwani bail of RM30,000 in two sureties, including the additional conditions proposed by the prosecution, and set March 30 for mention of the case.

Judge Rosli also approved Wan Shahruddin’s application to have the case transferred before Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi, on the grounds that it would save court time and involve the same witness testimony.

Earlier, Muhammad Hafizuddeain was charged before Judge Azura with four counts of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to more than RM2.12 million.

Under Ops Parasit, the MACC on Jan 7 detained a senior officer and his two wives in connection with army tender procurement projects, with the officer remanded for seven days and his wives remanded for three and six days respectively the following day.

The MACC investigation into the case began on Oct 7, 2025, and is considered sensitive as it involves high-ranking officers and public interest.

On Dec 23, a team of MACC officers arrived at the Defence Ministry to conduct preliminary investigations into several army projects dating back to 2023.

Last Thursday, 23 individuals, including two high-ranking officers and four senior Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) officers, were detained by the MACC to assist in investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of power, involving procurement matters and the use of public funds, as well as claims of receiving bribes from several companies, linked to the procurement of supplies for the Armed Forces Welfare Fund (TKAT) and the ministry.

-- BERNAMA