Daim Zainuddin’s wife steps into spotlight amid Malaysia’s corruption probe against couple

Naimah Khalid claims the ‘trumped-up [corruption] charges’ against her and her husband, Daim Zainuddin, were ‘instigated by Anwar Ibrahim’

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Wife of ex-finance minister Daim Zainuddin, Naimah Khalid, speaks to the media after a court session in Kuala Lumpur in January. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 3:10pm, 3 Oct 2024Updated: 3:16pm, 3 Oct 2024

Naimah Khalid, the once low-profile wife of Malaysian ex-finance minister Daim Zainuddin, has become a combative critic of a corruption crackdown under the administration of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that has ensnared her once untouchable family.

Multimillionaire Daim, 86, is a long-time ally of Anwar’s nemesis former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who appointed him one of five members of the “Council of Eminent Persons” in 2018 during his second stint as the country’s leader.

The ailing Daim was jolted out of retirement in January after he and his wife were charged with failing to declare their assets weeks after their 60-storey skyscraper, which is near Malaysia’s Petronas Towers, was seized by anti-corruption authorities.

While Naimah previously shunned the limelight like her husband, the 67-year-old has been staunchly defending themselves amid the corruption probe as Daim’s health has waned. Daim has lost an eye and become a wheelchair user, driving Naimah to advocate on his behalf.

The sudden emergence of Naimah in the spotlight echoed that of Anwar’s wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who stepped into an active political role after her husband’s incarceration when Mahathir was prime minister. Wan Azizah defended Anwar’s parliamentary seat and became the opposition leader.

Naimah has also been compared to Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is facing corruption charges separate from her husband’s 1MDB-related crimes.