[UPDATED] 3 MACC officers held over abuse of power, misappropriation

KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today confirmed that three of its officers have been remanded in relation to an abuse of power and misappropriation case against a former department chief.

In a brief statement today, the anti-graft body said the remand order – between September 14 and 19 – for the trio was granted by the Putrajaya magistrates’ court under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

“There will be no compromise or protection given to MACC officers who are found to be involved in any criminal activity. Appropriate action will be taken if the case is proven true.

“A detailed investigation is ongoing and MACC urges all parties to not make any speculation on the matter,” the commission said.

Earlier, The Vibes reported that the MACC officials have been remanded for allegedly misappropriating funds involving a portion of US$6 million (RM25 million) in seized funds belonging to the government.

A well-placed source in the MACC said the remand last week was in connection with the alleged counterfeiting of cash seized from former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation director-general Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid three years ago.

Confirming a report by Edisi Siasat, the source indicated that the millions in US banknotes were seized by the MACC as evidence into the criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges involving a total of US$12.1 million levelled against Hasanah.

On the other hand, police made a statement at 12.36am saying they have not received any reports on the issue.

“We take note of the viral matter related to the remand of three senior MACC officers after alleged being involved in a US$6 million cash theft case. We can confirm that no reports have been lodged over the matter.”

The evidence money, which was seized under the MACC’s Ops Dinar 2 at a condominium in Cyberjaya in 2018, was due to be returned to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) recently. However, a large portion of it came back in the form of fake notes.

It is understood that the money was supposed to be returned to Hasanah, who would then be required to reimburse the PMO, but the former intelligence chief discovered a large portion of the money given to her were counterfeit notes.

“The officers involved had requested for two weeks to return the money in their custody, in which time they converted it to counterfeit notes and returned it,” the source said without elaborating on the deadline to return the cash.

On April 12, Hasanah was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the high court after judge Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh said the prosecution applied to refrain from further prosecuting her.

On October 25, 2018, Hasanah pleaded not guilty to the CBT charge involving US$12.1 million belonging to the government.

The prosecution initially alleged she committed the offence when she served as director-general of the Prime Minister’s Department’s research division in Putrajaya between April 30 and May 9, 2018. – The Vibes, September 20, 2021