Isa Samad placed under arrest

PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad has been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in connection with controversial hotel purchases by Felda Investment Corporation (FIC).

MACC sources said the former Felda chairman was arrested at 4.24pm Tuesday after being questioned for two hours at the Commission's headquarters here.

MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Azam Baki confirmed this when contacted.

He said the arrest was made following witnesses' statements recorded by the MACC investigating team.

"Based on that (the statements), MACC is confident that it has a strong basis to make the arrest, to help us wrap up investigations into the case," he said.

Mohd Isa arrived at the MACC headquarters at 2.40pm.

He is among a long list of individuals who have been called up by MACC over FIC's purchases of hotels in London and Kuching.

His former aide Muhammad Zahid Md Arip as well as former FIC chief executive officer Zaid Abdul Jalil had previously been held under MACC remand.

The MACC had also called up FIC's former and present directors and lawyers to assist in investigations.

FIC is said to have purchased a hotel in Kensington, London for an inflated price of RM330mil, when the actual value is said to be RM110mil.

Its purchase of a hotel in Kuching for RM160mil is also said to be RM50mil more than its actual value.