00:00 This is also related to the judge. Please look at the following cases.
00:07 The case of breaking the trust of the judge in relation to the loss of RM 3.2 million.
00:13 On 15 May 2024, two days ago, a police report was made in Sungai Buloh,
00:22 by a 60-year-old company director who claimed to have been cheated by a law firm.
00:30 According to the report, on July 2023, the judge appointed a lawyer named Dato
00:37 to handle a civil lawsuit against a banking institution
00:43 for increasing the rate of company loan interest.
00:47 After discussing, the judge made a court order
00:51 to transfer RM 3,723,663.57 to the account of the judge.
01:05 He made a payment, the judge.
01:08 However, on February 2024, the judge ordered his lawyer
01:13 to cancel the lawsuit because the related banking institution
01:19 has agreed to decrease the rate of company loan interest.
01:24 They had a negotiation with the bank.
01:27 The judge asked for the cost of the court that had been paid before this to be returned.
01:33 The RM 3 million that was earlier.
01:35 The judge informed that there was a charge for the court service of RM 521,498.60.
01:45 The judge would only get the balance of RM 3,202,164.97.
01:55 The judge agreed to the terms.
01:58 However, the judge has not accepted the return as promised.
02:03 The case is being investigated under Section 409 of the Penal Code.
02:08 We can see the timing. Because the judge who has the money in his client's account
02:18 must be able to issue the money.
02:21 If I want it today, I can get it today.
02:25 There is no delay in saying that I will pay later.
02:30 There are elements of breach of trust.
02:33 The second one is breach of trust by the judge.
02:38 This time, it involves a loss of 4.8 million.
02:43 The JSJK IPD Petaling Jaya, Selangor, has accepted a police report
02:48 made by a 53-year-old company manager
02:52 who claimed to have been cheated by a law firm in the matter of land purchase in the Johor Valley.
02:59 According to the report, around June 2018,
03:04 the judge has signed an agreement with another company
03:12 to purchase 55 acres of land worth RM 40 million.
03:17 After the agreement was made, the judge has made a payment
03:21 of 4.8 million to the law firm's account which was taken over by the seller.
03:28 In August 2018, the judge has made an official search on the land
03:34 and found a new claim of independence by another company.
03:42 In September 2018, the judge has also received a letter from the seller's lawyer
03:48 who instructed the judge to cancel the claim of independence of the seller's company against the land.
03:55 The seller has also resumed the court proceedings against the complainant.
04:02 In January 2024, the High Court Judge of Kuala Lumpur has given a trial
04:09 to the seller's company.
04:12 The decision was made after the court obtained the 4.8 million deposit money
04:19 which was paid by the complainant through the law firm which was taken over by the seller
04:25 and was not in the law firm's account.
04:29 The court also found that all the money was spent by the law firm
04:35 through 100 cheque and bank drafts.
04:40 The case is being investigated under Section 409 of the Criminal Code.
04:45 So what if the claim is not broken?
04:49 For the record, throughout the year 2020-2023,
04:53 31 cases of criminal breach of trust have been investigated
04:58 involving a loss of RM35,916,664.36.
05:07 This means that there are people out there who have lost almost RM36 million.
05:13 Meanwhile, for 2024 until 15 May,
05:17 a total of 22 cases are being investigated
05:21 with a loss of RM19,056,415.39.
05:30 It is expected that the number of cases will continue to increase.
05:34 It is also expected that the lawyers involved in the large amount of money
05:44 will be advised to always check the amount of money
05:49 so that such cases can be avoided.
05:53 That is why I suggest that this account must be a joint account
05:59 between the client and the lawyer.
06:02 I have been suggesting this for a long time.
06:06 If the client is not honest,
06:11 and the amount of money is only a fraction of the amount of money,
06:16 and the loss is a total of RM36 million,
06:22 the involvement of the lawyer in the case of criminal breach of trust is very unfortunate.
06:27 That is why I urge the Malaysian lawyers' council to take more firm action
06:33 against any lawyers who fail to carry out their responsibilities properly.
06:39 We are concerned that the lawyers in the investigation are still accepting such clients
06:45 because there are similar cases.
06:48 Thank you.
06:50 [END]
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