GEORGE TOWN: A 73-year-old former executive director of the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB) has been remanded for six days by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for an abuse of power probe.
His lawyer has called the remand period excessive considering his client's age and health and has sought a reduction.
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Magistrate Siti Nurul Suhaila Baharin allowed MACC’s request to remand the man from Thursday (Dec 5) until Tuesday (Dec 10).
His lawyer R. Roshunraj, when contacted, said he objected to the remand order as his client has health issues.
"The six-day period is excessive and something we only hear of for criminals in serious crimes like murder.
"He is not in the best of health and needs to take special (prescribed) medication.
"He has diabetes, hypertension, and allergic rhinitis which required specialised medication," he said.
Roshunraj said according to MACC, it needed the additional time to complete investigations.
"This is the reason I was given.
"They have not (disclosed) what they are looking into during this investigation.
"We have (applied to) the court to reduce the six-day remand citing his health condition," he said.
Roshunraj said his client was brought to the MACC office for questioning on Wednesday (Dec 4) before being told he was being held.
"He noticed MACC officers outside his house in Seberang Perai at around 7am.
"They asked him to follow them to their office in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah on the island.
"They initially did not tell him he was being arrested.
"Later at the office he was told that he was being detained," he said.
He said MACC was investigating his client under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 for alleged abuse of power, but no further details were given.
