After being freed on police bail and later re-arrested on seperated charges yesterday, Lebanese 'billionaire' Elie Youssef Najem was allowed to return home today.

At the Dang Wangi district police station yesterday, police recorded Elie's statement in relations to police reports lodged against him for criminal intimidation. Later in the evening, he complained of 'severe pains' and was warded at the Kuala Lumpur general hospital (HKL) early this morning.

He was released on police bail of RM5,000 today at noon. According to Elie's lawyer M Manoharan, the police was satisfied with his statements and would not seek a remand order.

At a press conference today at HKL, Elie said that his original headline grabbing RM1.03 billion donation pledge to the National Cancer Council (Makna) remains.

Towel shortage

He added that the funds has been prepared and ready to be transferred.

After complaining to reporters about the insufficient facilities at HKL, Elie pledged to donate between RM500,000 to RM1 million to upgrade HKL. No time frame was set.

Manoharan added that Elie had also complained about a "shortage of towels" at the hospital.

Also at the press conference was his 19-year-old wife Farinnie Farid and his in-law's Mohd Farid Abdullah and Sofiah Shauket Md Hashim.

This has been the second time he was warded in hospital while under police custody.

After his initial pledge to Makna which drew widespread attention, various police reports were lodged against him prompting police investigations.