Tabung Haji RCI: Ex-CEO, CFO of statutory body-owned firm detained

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained the former chief executive officer and former chief financial officer of a company owned by a statutory body, following revelations in the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on Tabung Haji.

The two men, aged 68 and 60 respectively, were detained over suspected abuse of power in the process of acquiring shares in two plantation companies valued at RM370 million.

According to Berita Harian, the pair were detained at MACC headquarters at 6.30pm yesterday while attending to give statements. They were, however, released last night on health grounds and were to return to the MACC this morning for their statements to be recorded further.

The detentions were confirmed by MACC chief commissioner Abd Halim Aman, who said the case is being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.

Media reports a day earlier said the first two individuals detained were two men in two separate cases involving supply contracts worth about RM8 million and RM300,000 in bribes, also following the disclosure of the Tabung Haji RCI report.

They are a director of a design company suspected of bribing a former chief operating officer (COO) of a statutory body, and a former plantation manager believed to have abused a contract for the supply of rubber seedlings.

Sources said the company director, in his 50s, is believed to have paid for renovation works on four houses belonging to the former COO, totalling about RM300,000.

The bribes were allegedly given in return for helping the suspect's company secure renovation projects at the statutory body between 2014 and 2018.

That suspect was detained at about 7.30pm the day before yesterday while attending to give a statement at MACC headquarters.