Gold bars and luxury vehicles among items seized from top GLC execs over RM2.3bil graft case

PUTRAJAYA: Eight people have been arrested over suspected graft involving projects worth RM2.3bil belonging to a government-linked company (GLC).

Graft investigators arrested the suspects at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters here, as well as its office in Sarawak on Thursday (April 7) after summoning them to have their statements recorded.

Applications to remand the eight, aged between 35 and 45, were made at the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court and Kuching Magistrate’s Court on Friday (April 8).

In Putrajaya, magistrate Shah Wira Abdul Halim allowed two of the suspects to be remanded for four days while four others were detained for five days.

In Kuching, magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi granted an application to remand two more suspects for five days.

It is learnt the suspects hold senior positions in their respective companies - a chief executive officer, chief operating officer, executive officer, a director and an owner of a company.

According to sources, all the eight suspects were believed to have committed corruption in projects belonging to the GLC between 2017 and last year, where the total value of the contracts awarded to these companies was about RM2.3bil.

“Several seizures were made following the arrests, including 10 luxury vehicles, more than RM27,000 in various currencies, 50 pieces of jewelry including gold bars, 15 luxury watches and 13 branded handbags,” said the source.

Investigators have also frozen 12 company and individual accounts as part of the ongoing investigation.

MACC senior director of investigations Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hashim confirmed the arrests.