Sabah Minister Peter Anthony called in by MACC to give statement

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Cabinet minister Datuk Peter Anthony has been called in to give a statement to investigators apparently probing a graft case involving a 2014 Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) land deal.

The state Infrastructure Development Minister turned up at the Sabah Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here at 10.22am Tuesday (June 9).

Wearing a white shirt and black slacks, Peter was accompanied by his lawyer and senior Parti Warisan Sabah leader Datuk Aziz Jamman and party secretary-general Datuk Loretto Padua.

A large number of Peter's supporters could also be seen gathered outside the MACC office.

MACC officials in the state remained tight-lipped over the probe widely believed to centre around the aborted RM155mil Risda land deal.

Recently, a lawyer connected to the case had apparently returned to the state amid social media claims that he was being held at an undisclosed location.

However, his family, through a lawyer, said that he was not missing and was "at home."

Peter, who was investigated for the case in 2016 and 2017, was a businessman when the deal was made between Risda and a private company in 2014.

However, some sources said he could be investigated for a report connected to a RM1.5bil road concession deal.

Peter, a Warisan vice-president, is a strong supporter of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.