Isa Samad released from remand

The Magistrate's Court today released former Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad after a five-day remand from Wednesday over a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigation into the Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) purchase of a hotel in Kensington, London.

Subordinate Courts of Malaya registrar Datuk Zainal Abidin Kamarudin allowed the release of Mohd Isa, 68, on a bail of RM150,000 in two sureties.

Mohd Isa smiled as he walked out of the courtroom at 10.45 am and was greeted by shouts from his supporters at the compound of the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court.

Mohd Isa, clad in the MACC orange lock-up attire, was brought at 9.50 am to the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court, outside which more than 100 supporters and family members, including his wife Puan Sri Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid, had been waiting since 9 am.

Datuk K. Kumaraendran, who leads the team of lawyers representing Mohd Isa, said the MACC did not apply for an extension of the remand as his client had fully co-operated with the investigation.

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Approached by reporters after the proceedings, Kumaraendran stressed that Mohd Isa was only detained to assist in the investigation and not as a suspect in the case.

Kumarendran said Mohd Isa was also ready to be called as a witness if there was any prosecution in the case.

The other lawyers in the team are Dev Kumaraendran, Ridha Ahdar Subry, Datuk Khairul Anwar Rahmat, Lavina Kumarendran and Datuk N. Sivananthan.

Mohd Isa was arrested at 4.30 pm on Tuesday after spending two hours having a statement recorded at the MACC headquarters here.

The case is being investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act for alleged abuse of power in the purchase of a hotel in London in 2014/2015.

-- BERNAMA