Johor exco man on leave pending MACC probe on son

ISKANDAR PUTERI: State executive councillor Datuk Abd Latif Bandi is on leave from his position in the Johor government following the corruption investigation against his son and his special officer.

 Senior state executive councillor Datuk Md Jais Sarday said Abd Latif put forward his request for leave to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin before the start of the state exco meeting at Kota Iskandar here Wednesday.

 He said Abd Latif asked to go on leave because of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation into his eldest son and the special officer until he is able to clear his name.

 "We, the exco members and Mohamed Khaled, did not discuss the matter (the corruption probe) during the meeting," Md Jais, who is state Education, Information, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman, said at a press conference at Bangunan Dato Jaafar here.

 "Mohamed Khaled accepted Abd Latif's request, and he will be on leave on leave from his position in the government from today until further notice. His housing and local government portfolio is on hold, but all management issues will be handed over to the state secretary," he added.

On Sunday, MACC arrested seven suspects -  including Abd Latif's son and his special officer -  to assist in investigations into a land scam involving tens of millions of ringgit.

MACC officers have so far questioned 15 individuals, including Abd Latif, who was interviewed for four hours on Tuesday.

The scam, which began in 2013, involved the conversion of hundreds of bumiputra housing lots to non-bumiputra lots so that they can fetch much higher prices when sold.