KUALA LUMPUR — A special officer to the Penang Deputy Chief Minister has been remanded for six days until December 10 for allegedly abusing his position to obtain about RM300,000 involving the purchase of a gold chariot.
Magistrate Siti Nurul Suhaila Baharin allowed the application made by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Penang against the suspect who has a “Datuk” title, at the George Town Magistrate’s Court, today.
The suspect is a man in his 70s who is also the former executive director of a religious agency in Penang.
He is believed to have committed the offence in 2019.
“Initial investigations found that the suspect, together with a former deputy chief minister who was also former chairman of the same agency, obtained more than RM300,000 from the agency’s special allocation account for themselves.
“The money involved the purchase of a gold chariot from an overseas company in which both had interests in the company.
“In addition, the former deputy chief minister is also believed to have abused his position by approving the provision of medical assistance in 2020 of RM50,000 to individuals believed to be his associates,” MACC sources said.
Penang MACC Director Datuk Mohd Fuad Bee Basrah when contacted confirmed the arrest of the special officer to the deputy chief minister involved.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 and the two individuals being investigated are now barred from leaving the country until the investigation is completed. – December 5, 2024