KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 ― The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested a senior government official yesterday for investigations related to a cartel that monopolised government projects worth billions.
MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki said the 38-year-old quantity surveyor was suspected of aiding the cartel when preparing bills of quantity (BQ) and providing information on his agency’s project to the mastermind.
“He is believed to have accepted bribes for leaking information on project specifications to the syndicate leader to facilitate the preparation of tender documents,” Azam said in a statement today.
He added that the arrest was made late last night in Ampang here and investigators determined that the official was paid RM300,000 for each tranche of information he provided to the cartel.
“So far, four payments, an estimated RM1.2 million have been paid to him,” he added.
Azam said that the investigation into the cartel was ongoing and more arrests would be made soon.
Yesterday, MACC said it has crippled the cartel that was suspected of corruptly securing government projects worth about RM3.8 billion following the arrest of seven people including a 47-year-old suspected to be the mastermind.
