KUCHING, Sept 27 — The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has expressed its support for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to thoroughly investigate a political secretary to Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot for alleged involvement in corrupt practices.
“The position of the party is very clear on corruption,” party president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said today.
The political aide, who is also a member of SUPP Serian branch, was arrested under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act when he turned up to record his statement at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya this afternoon in connection with an alleged misappropriation of RM40 million from the Skills Development Fund Corporation or PTPK.
He has been the political aide to Riot, who is SUPP deputy president, since 2013.
Sim, who is also the state Minister of Local Government and Housing, said the party will not shelter any of its members if they are under investigation for corruption.
“If our members or leaders are suspected to be involved in corrupt practices, then they must be dealt with in accordance with the law,” he said.
The 61-year-old man, with a “Datuk” title, is the fifth suspect nabbed by MACC following the arrest of four individuals who are with PTPK.
On September 13, MACC arrested four individuals for allegedly embezzling government funds totalling up to RM40 million, which should have been channelled to a skills corporation for training programmes.
Those arrested were a 58-year-old chief executive with a “Datuk’ title, together with a corporate secretary, 34; assistant financial officer, 32; and company director, 38, at several locations in the federal capital in a special MACC operation.
All four individuals were remanded for six days from September 14 and later released on MACC bail.
