Second man sought in tunnel probe

KUALA LUMPUR, 22 Feb -- Ketua Pesuruhjaya Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad ketika sidang media khas di Akademi Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia hari ini.--fotoBERNAMA (2018) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

PUTRAJAYA: Anti-graft investigators are looking for a second man said to be involved in the case of offering to “settle” the probe into the controversial RM6.34bil Penang undersea tunnel project.

“We can’t confirm if he is actually in hiding, but let’s wait and I will update you all,” said Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki.

Asked if the second man was Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Azam said: “No, it is not him.”

“Whether or not we call him (Abdul Azeez) will depend on our findings.

“If we want to call a person to have his statement recorded, it will have to be based on what we find in the course of investigation and also on the statements we receive,” he said in response to a question.

Abdul Azeez, who is also Tabung Haji chairman, was reported to have been served with a letter of demand from Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZC), the main contractor for the project.

CZC claimed it had paid RM3mil to him for consultancy work related to the project.

Abdul Azeez has since denied allegations that he had dealings with the company.

A 37-year-old Datuk Seri businessman was remanded for six days on Wednesday as graft-busters investigate claims that he received RM19mil to help settle the MACC’s probe into the project.

It is believed the man obtained the money from the main construction company in stages between July and August last year after claiming that he would be able to close the investigation.

He is the fifth person to be arrested in relation to investigations on the feasibility studies involving three paired roads and an undersea tunnel.

Meanwhile, MACC chief Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad advised Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng not to make slanderous statements about the anti-graft agency.

“I ask these two leaders to be careful when making statements regarding cases that are being investigated by the MACC. This is to ensure whatever they say in public does not have elements of criminal defamation.

“Let the MACC investigate independently, objectively and professionally, without any pressure from any party,” he said.