A DATUK who chairs a government agency and four others have been remanded for four days over alleged abuse of power in the disposal of eight plots of agency-owned land in Seberang Perai Selatan, Penang, in a deal believed to have caused losses of about RM1.96 million.
The five were remanded until Aug 24 after Magistrate Noor Idayu Salim granted the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s application at the George Town Magistrates’ Court this morning.
The suspects comprise the agency chairman, two company directors, a technical manager and a female clerk, aged between their 40s and 50s.
They were detained between 11am and noon yesterday after appearing at the MACC’s Penang office to give statements.
The agency chairman is suspected of having conspired with the four other suspects to abuse his position while serving as deputy chairman and a member of the board of directors to approve the sale of the eight plots in 2015.
The land was allegedly sold to a company suspected of being owned by an associate of the chairman.
“One of the suspects, who is also the chairman of a government agency, is believed to have conspired with the other four suspects to abuse his position when he was serving as Deputy Chairman and a member of the Board of Directors to approve the sale of eight plots of land in Seberang Perai Selatan in 2015 to a company suspected of being owned by his associate.
“The suspect is also believed to have used his position to approve the sale of the land at a price lower than market value, resulting in losses of about RM1.96 million,” he said.
MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman confirmed the arrests when contacted.
He said the case was being investigated under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009. - August 21, 2026
