KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is expected to carry out more arrests as they intensify their probe into a multi-million ringgit housing scandal in Johor.

MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Azam Baki said investigators were in the midst of obtaining several documents from the suspects’ offices.

"MACC is investigating the claims of fraudulent activities pertaining to the transfer of Bumiputera housing status to non-Bumiputera,” he said.

The six suspects, including the eldest son of Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Abd Latif Bandi, was detained on Friday and were believed to have been involved in corruption and embezzlement of housing ownership status in Johor.

Sources said the suspects were involved in the transfer of Bumiputera housing status to non-Bumiputera activities since 2013, and it involved several housing developers in Johor.

The activities conducted by the suspects enabled those involved to benefit greatly while those who were eligible to purchase Bumiputera homes suffered the consequences as they could not afford to buy new houses.

"The change in housing status means the price of the house would sky-rocket from the original purchase price,” the source said.

Explaining further, he said the developers would switch the housing status by concealing the 30 per cent quota given to Bumiputera buyers in a list with their own employees who have the  Bumiputra status.

It was understood that the developers would then make an application to the state government to switch the housing status from Bumi to non-Bumi under the pretence that the homes were unable to be sold.

However, when asked by would-be Bumiputera buyers, the developers would claim that Bumiputera status houses have been sold out.

The developers would be fined and the fine would be deposited into a special chest for the purpose of public amenities development in the housing estate, but it was highly likely the bulk of the fine was embezzled by the suspects.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the detention of six men for alleged corruption by MACC was based on information and reports received by the agency.

"MACC does not detain people for no reason,” he told Bernama after launching the School Bus Fare Subsidy programme in Pasir Gudang, yesterday.

Asked whether the state government would conduct an inquiry on the matter, he said MACC was investigating it.