Company owner’s aide remanded over REE mining probe

KUALA LUMPUR: Another suspect – an assistant to a company owner – is the latest individual nabbed by graft busters in the investigation into allegations of corruption and power abuse involving rare earth elements (REE) mining in Kedah.

Sources said the man, in his 50s, was detained at about 10pm on Thursday at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya.

The remand application was made yesterday morning at a Shah Alam Magistrate’s Court.

Magistrate M. Mageshwary granted a four-day remand order until Monday.

At the same court, the MACC also obtained a remand extension for another suspect, a female company director, for two days until tomorrow.

Sources said the woman was previously remanded for three days until yesterday while a Mentri Besar Kedah Incorporated (MBI) chief executive officer was released on the same day.

MACC investigation division senior director Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hashim, when contacted, confirmed the new arrest.

It was reported that the MACC has opened an investigation paper into allegations of abuse of power involving a Mentri Besar in the issue of mining REE, believed to have been conducted illegally resulting in losses for a state government.