Gov't, Tajudin fail to strike out law suits...

The government has failed to strike out Tajudin Ramli's RM500 million counter-claim in a legal suit involving national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

Tajudin's application to strike out MAS’ claim against him was also dismissed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today, according to his lawyer Lim Kian Leong

Justice Rosilah Yop, in her decision in chambers, ordered both applicants to pay costs, but did not assess the quantum.

Following this, the court will proceed with the MAS suit against Tajudin from Monday, in relation to massive losses sustained by the airline and resulting in the relocation of its cargo operations in Europe.

Lawyers Kumar Kanagasingam and SM Shanmugam appeared for MAS, while senior federal counsel Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Ismail represented the government.

It is learnt that there is a possibility that, following today's development, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former finance minister Daim Zainuddin and former deputy premier and one-time finance minister Anwar Ibrahim may be subpoenaed to testify.
One suit that MAS filed in 2006 and which will be heard on Monday, involves the airline, MAS Golden Holidays Sdn Bhd and MAS Hotels & Boutiques Sdn Bhd.

This has named Tajudin, his former company Naluri Corporation Bhd, Promet (Langkawi) Resorts Sdn Bhd, Kauthar Venture Capital Sdn Bhd and Pakatan Permai Sdn Bhd as defendants.

It claimed that Tajudin had intentionally breached his duties or obligations and committed breach of trust by having MAS procure various contracts for his own interests.

It alleged that Tajudin, as director and chairperson of MAS, had neglected advice given to the national carrier and did not take the reasonable steps incumbent upon an executive, resulting in MAS suffering losses.

MAS further alleged that Tajudin was guilty of unconscionable conduct when holding the senior positions in the airline and that he had used his influence to continue the VIP chartering service with the purchase of a Boeing 737 Business Jet for US$31 million in 1997, despite MAS suffering losses.

The airline claimed that Tajudin had dishonestly concealed his interests in Cendanasari Insurance Brokers Sdn Bhd, in matters involving a parcel of land in Langkawi and a luxury yacht, Colombo Star.

Tajudin’s defence, counter-claim

Tajudin has filed a RM500 million defence and counter-claim against MAS and the government, denying that he had breached his fiduciary duty or trust, or was fraudulent where his obligations were concerned.

He claimed that the MAS suit contains bare allegations, with no facts or circumstances to back these.Tajudin denied all allegations of conspiracy and concealment, charging that these were brought on without any justification, were frivolous and vexatious and were an abuse of due process.

He claimed that MAS and the government, which owns a substantial stake in the airlines, had acted with malice and in bad faith in initiating the suit against him in order to cause injury, damage and embarrassment to him, his reputation and business.

He further said that the MAS report filed with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission against him was defamatory.

In another suit, MAS - along with MAS Cargo Sdn Bhd - has named Tajudin, former MASKargo vice-president Ralph Manfred Gotz, former MAS director Wan Aishah Wan Hamid and a former consultant Uwe Juergen Beck as defendants.

This involves the RM174 million MAS lost in the Hahn operations and RM27 million that MAS was ordered to pay as an award made in an ICC arbitration case involving ACL Hahn Advanced Cargo Logistics GmbH in Germany.

Tajudin failed to strike out this suit today. - malaysiakini

K'jaan, Tajudin gagal batalkan saman

Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur hari ini menolak permohonan kerajaan untuk membatalkan tuntutan balas RM500 juta yang difailkan oleh Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli dalam satu kes yang membabitkan Penerbangan Malaysia (MAS).
Di samping itu, permohonan Tajudin untuk membatalkan permohonan MAS menyaman dirinya berikutan syarikat penerbangan negara itu terpaksa menanggung kerugian besar akibat penempatan semula operasi kargo di Eropah juga ditolak.

Kedua-dua perkara-perkaraitu diputuskan oleh Hakim Datuk Rosilah Yop dalam kamarnya. Beliau turut memerintahkan kerajaan dan Tajudin untuk membayar kos.

Bagaimanapun, beliau tidak menilai jumlah kos yang terpaksa dibayar oleh kedua-dua pihak.

Perkara itu diumaklumkan kepada wartawan oleh peguam Tajudin, Lim Kian Leong.

Berikutan keputusan hari ini, Mahkamah Tinggi akan meneruskan perbicaraan MAS terhadap Tajudin bermula Isnin depan.
Peguam Kumar Kanagasingam dan SM Shanmugam mewakili MAS dan manakala kerajaan pula diwakili oleh Timbalan Pendakwar Raya kanan Tengku Intan Suraya Tengku Ismail.

Mahathir, Daim, Anwar akan dipanggil?

Adalah difahamkan bahawa terdapat kemungkinan bahawa berikutan perkembangan hari ini bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, bekas Menteri Kewangan Tun Daim Zainuddin dan bekas Timbalan Perdana Menteri yang juga Menteri Kewangan ketika itu, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mungkin disepina untuk memberi keterangan.

MAS telah memfailkan tiga saman terhadap Tajudin.

Walau bagaimanapun, saman utama yang difailkan pada tahun 2006,  akan didengar pada Isnin, akan melihat MAS, bersama-sama dengan MAS Golden Holidays Sdn Bhd dan MAS Hotel & Boutiques Sdn Bhd, menamakan Tajudin, bekas syarikatnya Naluri Corporation Bhd, Promet (Langkawi) Resorts Sdn Bhd, Kauthar Venture Capital Sdn Bhd dan Pakatan Permai Sdn Bhd sebagai defendan.

Mereka mendakwa bahawa Tajudin sengaja mengabaikan tanggungjawabnya dan melakukan pecah amanah dengan membiarkan MAS mendapatkan pelbagai kontrak untuk kepentingan dirinya sendiri. - malaysiakini

cheers.