[UPDATED] MACC nabs 37 people in RM100 mil PenjanaKerjaya graft probe

KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 37 individuals have been detained to facilitate an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over false claims and misappropriating RM100 million in Employment Recruitment Incentives Programme (PenjanaKerjaya) funds across several states.

The suspects – 26 men and 11 women – were remanded at magistrates’ courts in Putrajaya, Selangor, Johor, Kedah, Pahang, Perak, Penang, Melaka, Perlis, Kuala Lumpur, and Negri Sembilan.

Aged between 28 and 70, they are business owners, directors, managers, and shareholders, as well as engineers and executives who were arrested in Op Hire in collaboration with the Social Security Organisation.

MACC said in a statement that Ops Hire so far involved 66 companies with 36 frozen accounts with a total value of more than RM7 million.

Meanwhile, MACC senior investigation director Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hashim confirmed that the case is being investigated under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009.

He added that more arrests will be made to facilitate investigations.

Starting today, 11 individuals are put under remand in Putrajaya until July 17 while five individuals in Selangor are detained until July 16.

In Johor, one individual was remanded for seven days and two suspects detained for six days. An individual in Kedah and two in Pahang and Perak are detained for seven days, while two in Penang will be under remand for six days.

A five-day remand order has been issued for two people in Melaka and Perlis, three in Kuala Lumpur and four in Negri Sembilan.

Yesterday, MACC said the large-scale operation would be conducted by its headquarters together with its state branches.

The anti-graft body had also developed information in collaboration with Socso through monitoring and intelligence on the recipients of funds, and found employers who submitted false claims and misappropriated funds. – The Vibes, July 14, 2022