Asst director of statutory body nabbed over highway project graft probe

PUTRAJAYA: The remand order for the chief executive officer and two senior managers of a highway concessionaire has been extended on Friday (June 28) as graft investigators deepen their probe into allegations of corruption involving the construction of two highways worth RM1.6bil in the Klang Valley.

The three and another individual would remain in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) custody until July 2. Magistrate Nazira Adlin Ahmad Khairul Razi allowed the extension after their first remand order ended Thursday (June 27).

On Tuesday (June 25), the MACC arrested the three highway concessionaire senior officials over the case.

Sources said that investigations so far showed that they were believed to have accepted bribes worth RM1bil and RM670mil from companies taking over the construction of two highways.

Graft investigators also arrested five others on the same day and another suspect on Wednesday (June 26).

Following the arrest, highway concessionaire Projek Lintasan Kota Sdn Bhd confirmed that the MACC had remanded its personnel and that the company would fully cooperate in facilitating the investigation.

On Thursday, Magistrate Nazira Adlin also allowed an application by graft investigators to remand a principal assistant director of a statutory body for four days until July 1 for allegedly accepting bribes of about RM146,000 from a company as an inducement to be awarded works for a highway project in the Klang Valley.

This latest arrest brings the number of individuals remanded in the special ops codenamed Ops Lintas to 10.

On Wednesday, the MACC also remanded a suspect in his 40s for allegedly demanding and accepting bribes from several companies as a reward for appointing them to take over work to complete a highway project, a job previously given to another company.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya confirmed the latest arrest and the remand extensions.