KUALA LUMPUR – Former Chief of Army (PTD), Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here on Friday to two counts of receiving proceeds from illegal activities totaling RM145,000.
The 58-year-old former top brass made the plea after the charges were read before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin. This marks the second day of legal proceedings against him, following separate charges filed in Kuala Lumpur a day prior.
The Allegations
According to the charge sheets, Muhammad Hafizuddeain is accused of:
- First Count: Receiving RM115,000 deposited into his personal Maybank account.
- Second Count: Receiving an additional RM30,000 through the same account.
Both offenses were allegedly committed at the Ampang Point branch of Maybank between September 19, 2024, and May 19 of the following year.
The prosecution is being handled under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA). If convicted, the accused faces a maximum of 15 years in prison and a fine of at least five times the value of the illegal proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Court Proceedings and Consolidation
During the session, defense counsel Aizul Rohan Anuar requested the court to transfer these two charges to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court. The goal is to consolidate them with four existing charges involving RM2.12 million that were presented on Thursday.
“The cases involve the same witnesses and facts, differing only in the location of the transactions,” the defense argued.
Judge Mohd Nasir granted the application for the transfer and allowed the previous bail of RM250,000 with two sureties to be maintained.
Historical Context
Muhammad Hafizuddeain is the first-ever former Chief of Army to face prosecution for money laundering related to Malaysian Army (TDM) procurement tenders. He reportedly opted for early retirement effective January 1, 2026, amid investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The court has scheduled March 30 for the mention of all combined charges.
