Ex-GLC top official faces CBT charge

KUALA LUMPUR: A former chief executive officer of a government-linked company (GLC) is expected to be charged today with accepting bribes amounting to RM3.3mil.

It is learnt that the suspect, aged 61, will face five counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) under Section 409 of the Penal Code.

He is expected to be produced at the Jalan Duta court today to answer the charges.

A team from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) detained the suspect at about 3.30pm yesterday.

He was said to have committed CBT between April 30 and Oct 30, 2013, while in the GLC for personal gain.

If convicted, the suspect will face a jail term of up to 20 years, whipping and a fine.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki confirmed the arrest.

Earlier in Putrajaya, MACC officers wasted no time in their investigation into the alleged corrupt activities of five current and former Felda officials over the RM47.6mil sturgeon farming project in Pahang.

MACC officers have gone to several locations related to the case in search of more clues. Homes and offices of the suspects are expected to be revisited.

Apart from the remand of the five who in­clude Felda’s former director-general and its ex-deputy director-general, more people are to be called in for their statements to be recorded.

The other three individuals are a former operations officer in charge of the project in Kuala Tahan, the current head of its London Properties and an assistant administration officer.

“We are expecting to gather more documents related to the case and seize assets and accounts of the suspects and their family members. We will need to talk to more people to help shed light on the case,” said a source.

MACC investigations director Datuk Simi Abd Ghani said the probe into the case was in full swing.

The five suspects are now under MACC custody after magistrate Nik Isfahanie Tasnim Wan Ab Rahman allowed for them to be remanded for a week.

With the exception of the director-general, the other suspects shielded their faces from the flashing cameras.

The five were picked up in a sting operation dubbed Ops Caviar in several locations around the Klang Valley on Tuesday.

Valuable items, including a luxury car and jewellery estimated to be worth millions, were seized during the raids.