Seven individuals and companies failed to obtain leave from the Federal Court today to appeal against the High Court decision for them to return missing funds from RM38.5 million compensation awarded to a group of Orang Asli villagers. — Reuters pic
Lawyer G. Ragumaren, counsel for the Orang Asli, who also appeared as co-counsel for the Linggiu Valley Orang Asli Trust said today’s Federal Court decision is a sweet victory for the Orang Asli after 11 years of legal battle to recover the monies. The seven applicants are Virgin Properties Sdn Bhd, Virgin Properties’ director Ku Azhar Ku Abdul Razak, Dinesh Kanavaji, Messrs Khana & Co, Riza Makhzan Arifin and Puteri Intan Nurul Arzian Abdul Aziz and Malayan Banking Berhad.
The bench, also comprising Federal Court judges Datuk Mary Lim Thiam Suan and Datuk Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal awarded the Linggui Valley Orang Asli Trust RM350,000 in costs. In 2009, the Orang Asli trust fund filed a suit over the use of RM7 million by Dinesh’s father S. Kanawagi to buy 27 condominium units at Lanai Gurney Heights Condominium in Kuala Lumpur in 2008.