Former Land and Co-operative Development Minister Kasitah Gaddam's application for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on fraud charges involving the sale of 16.8 million shares of the Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) was dismissed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

Judge Abdull Hamid Embong dismissed the application by counsel Muhamad Shafee Abdullah, who represented Kasitah, and fixed 21 days beginning Nov 15 to hear the case.

Muhamad Shafee had applied for a discharge not amounting to acquittal of his client pending the transfer process of a corruption case involving SLDB former general manager Wasli Mohamed Said from the Kota Kinabalu High Court to the High Court here.

He said after Wasli's case was transferred to the High Court and heard and the prosecution could then charge Kasitah again if there is a need.

Abdull Hamid told the prosecution that he hoped the process involved in transferring Wasli's case could be settled before the date which he had fixed for the hearing because the hearing for Kasitah's case would proceed on that day.

Anti-corruption blitz

Kasitah was among the first netted in an anti-corruption blitz launched by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He was charged last February and was released on RM1 million bail.

The move against Kasitah was the second high-profile arrest over alleged corruption during the period when retired prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in power.

The former head of troubled steel giant Perwaja, Eric Chia, was earlier charged with embezzling RM76.4 million and the trial is ongoing.

Abdullah, who took over the premiership on Oct 31, 2003 when Mahathir stepped down after 22 years in office, has repeatedly declared the fight against corruption to be a priority for his new administration.

However, detractors remain unsatisfied and have called on the premier to net the 'big fishes'.