KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 — A deputy general manager of a government-linked company (GLC) was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to assist investigations into alleged abuse of power involving suspicious transactions worth more than RM2.4 million.
According to a MACC source, the 44-year-old deputy general manager was detained at the Johor MACC Headquarters at about 3pm yesterday.
Also arrested were a 55-year-old GLC project director and the 34-year-old personal assistant to the deputy general manager.
They were detained on suspicion of having abused their power by soliciting and accepting bribes from contractors as an inducement to allow the contractors to receive full payment for their monthly claims for landscape maintenance work from the GLC.
“The MACC investigation found that the deputy general manager and the project director would directly ensure that landscape contracts, worth about RM44 million, under their supervisions were awarded to eight companies through three stages, namely e-Bidding, One-off Contract and Maintainance,” he told Bernama.
According to the source, the deputy general manager would instruct the GLC executives to give 80 per cent marks to contractors in charge of landscape maintenance work so they receive full payments from monthly claims submitted.
Whereas the project director, having the power to appoint contractors, suppliers and consultants, and also to approve payments, would also approve the claims submitted by the contractors so that they received full payment as stated in the contract.
“According to initial information gathered by the investigating team, there were suspicious payments amounting to more than RM2.4 million deposited into a bank account belonging to the company’s deputy general manager and his wife from the eight contracting companies through four proxies.
“Four other individuals, believed to be the proxies, were also detained between 10 am and 12 noon today (Monday) at the MACC Headquarters in Shah Alam, Klang and Melaka to assist in the investigation into the case which took place between in 2013 and 2017,” the source said.
He said the MACC investigating team had also frozen 15 accounts belonging to the deputy general manager and the contracting companies in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki, when contacted, confirmed the arrests, saying that the investigating team had gone to several locations including the contracting companies to obtain documents related to the investigation under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act 2009.
“We will study all the documents to ascertain whether or not there are elements of corruption and abuse of power in the case,” he said.
All suspects are expected to be taken to the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court tomorrow for the remand proceedings. — Bernama
