Malaysia extends deadline for Mahathir Mohamad’s son, Mirzan to declare assets in anti-graft probe

Mirzan Mahathir was initially told on January 18 to declare all his assets within 30 days. Failure to do so could have seen him charged in court, which happened to Mahathir’s former adviser last month.

“We are giving him the extension after he applied for additional time to declare his assets,” Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Azam Baki said in a text message on Saturday. While he didn’t comment on the new deadline, the Star newspaper said another 30 days was given to Mirzan.

The order is part of MACC’s investigation after Mirzan’s name appeared in leaks of offshore business records that were revealed in recent years by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a global media network.

Mahathir, who was admitted to the hospital on January 26 for an infection, has said Mirzan was targeted for being his son and the probe was politically motivated. Several days after Mahathir spoke to the media, MACC revealed it had issued an asset declaration notice to another son, Mokhzani, as well.

The leniency was a result of royal intervention and came less than a year after the government withdrew 47 criminal charges against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also UMNO’s president. Anwar has denied interfering in the cases, as well as in MACC’s investigations.