KUALA LUMPUR – Last year may be largely remembered for Covid-19 and the ensuing movement controls, but it was business as usual for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
The anti-graft body had initiated dozens of investigations into alleged corrupt practices in the past year, some involving prominent individuals, from the likes of elected representatives to high-ranking Immigration Department officers.
While some are under investigation, others have seen their day in court, while there are still those in limbo.
The Vibes attempted to get MACC’s comments and clarification on the status of these cases, but the commission said it cannot reveal such information to the press.
Here is a look at some of the cases that came to light in 2020, and their status today.
Covid-19 tests contract scandal
Reports surfaced in early May that a company was awarded a RM30 million contract to supply the Health Ministry with mass-testing laboratory systems, a few months after Perikatan Nasional came to power.
This surfaced after former MP Wee Choo Keong tweeted that an unqualified company involved in the real estate sector was given the contract and had been paid millions of ringgit upfront.
It is understood that at least five contractors have been called up for investigation, while there were claims that five ministry officials, including Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, were also questioned, although the ministry swiftly denied this.
A week later, Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4 Centre) alleged that one of the companies under MACC’s scrutiny is property developer Khazanah Jaya Sdn Bhd (KJSB), which is said to have links to Dr Adham’s private clinic network, Klinik Adham Sdn Bhd.
C4 raise questions on whether Dr Adham had any influence over the selection of contractors, and if the minister had abused his position by awarding the contract for personal benefit.
Dr Adham, on May 12 last year, denied any link to KJSB, and has since issued a letter of demand for a public apology from C4 Centre, alongside RM30 million in damages.
PUNB’s Najib Razak book contract
MACC also initiated an investigation into a former senior manager and board member of Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) last June, after he was alleged to have abused his power and misappropriated funds in the procurement of books on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The Malaysian Insight reported that this followed an internal investigation, which found that the purchase of 20,000 copies of Najib Razak: Di Sebalik Nama for RM400,000 did not comply with PUNB’s procurement process.
The article said in the investigation, which was completed in July 2019 and referred to MACC, the book’s publisher had family ties with a PUNB board director at the time.
The case first came to light in May 2018, when MACC raided the PUNB headquarters here in relation to the purchase and publication of the book.
Other than that, it was alleged that millions were used by the former high-ranking officer to acquire several companies, contracts and loans.
Warisan’s Peter Anthony in dubious deals
Datuk Peter Anthony, who was then Sabah infrastructure development minister, was called in for questioning by MACC on June 9, supposedly over his involvement in several dubious deals.
Two days later, the Parti Warisan Sabah lawmaker was charged at a special corruption court in Kota Kinabalu with five counts of money laundering involving RM8.75 million.
He pleaded not guilty to all five charges, two of which accused him of being directly engaged in transactions involving proceeds from unlawful activities, while the other three charges were for receiving RM5 million in proceeds from unlawful activities.
On June 18, Peter claimed trial to another charge: abetting criminal breach of trust amounting to RM15.5 million involving the purchase of Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority land six years ago.
In December, he was slapped with fresh criminal charges for allegedly falsifying documents to fund and set up a technical training centre in 2014. He has since filed an application seeking the case to be transferred to Sabah.
Nationwide immigration racket
Scores of Immigration Department officers were arrested by MACC on November 17 in the graft-busters’ probe into an international smuggling syndicate that also falsified the country’s border stamps.
It was reported that at least 14 immigration personnel from Putrajaya, nine from Johor Baru and several others from other states were nabbed in the nationwide crackdown.
Four days later, three more officers were arrested, this time involving one senior officer with the rank of deputy director stationed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It is said that more than 30 immigration personnel have been detained in the probe to date.
Along with the arrests, MACC also seized more than RM800,000 in cash, 26 luxury cars, four high-powered motorcycles, houses, land and jewellery, among others.
Last month, several of the officers were charged separately in different states. The deputy director has yet to face court, although The Vibes understands that an investigation paper has been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Ku Nan’s ‘pocket money’
On March 5, former minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor made a rather baffling admission when testifying in court, saying RM2 million is like “pocket money”, after he was accused of receiving a bribe of the same amount.
In the same trial, the court was told he had accumulated almost RM1 billion in wealth.
This prompted then MACC chief Latheefa Koya to order an investigation into the case, days after the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.
However, Latheefa resigned later that day, and there has been no update on the case.
Money in the meat
At the tail end of 2020, the smuggling of non-certified frozen meat repackaged and passed off as halal was exposed by Sinar Harian.
It was reported that senior officers from four government agencies had been working with a cartel, and they allegedly received money and, in some cases, women for sex, as bribes to turn a blind eye.
MACC began its investigation by focusing on alleged graft among the agencies involved, and false claims and falsification of Customs Department declaration forms for imported goods.
The commission said last week that 27 witnesses have been called in so far for questioning, including workers, import agents and government officers.
To date, a meat supply company and two of its directors have been charged in court in relation to the case, while Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid has said another frozen meat importing company will be charged soon. – The Vibes, January 30, 2021
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