KUCHING, Sept 11 — The Magistrate’s Court here extended the remand order on two company directors who allegedly submitted false claims involving a road project worth RM800 million for another two days to facilitate investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). 

The men, aged 42 and 44-years-old, were arrested during a special operation here on Tuesday and were initially remanded for two days. 

Lawyer Albert Tang representing the two men when met by reporters said MACC wanted to trace the subcontractors and obtain volumes of documents including payment vouchers relating to the projects.

"The MACC wanted to apply for seven days but we objected,” Tang said.

He said the two men will be brought again before magistrate Zubaidah Sarkawi on Sunday morning.

The two men, with ‘Datuk’ titles, are being investigated under Section 16(b), 17(a) and Section 18 of the MACC Act, 2009, in connection with 10 road upgrading works in Miri, Kapit, Ba Kelalan, Limbang and Belaga.

Section 16(b) relates to offence of corruptly giving, promising or offerring to any person whether for the benefit of that person or of another person.

Section 17(a) relates to an offence of giving or accepting graftification by an agent

Section 18 relates to an offence of intending to deceive principal by the agent

The two company directors were represented by six lawyers Shankar Ram, Albert Tang, Lim Heng Choo, Allan Lao, Roger Chin, Wong King Wei and Lin Wina Kiew while deputy public prosecutor (DPP) S.Thangavelu acted for the MACC.

The MACC in a statement on September 8 had said the projects were carried out under the Defence Ministry’s Jiwa Murni programme.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations), Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi had said that investigation into the case was carried out with the cooperation of the Defence Ministry after an internal audit exposed the projects’ failures.

The directors were partners who owned three companies that were awarded the project, which was awarded by the ministry to the company from 2010 to 2016.

MACC claimed that the roads were not built in accordance with the Public Works Department’s standards.