KOTA KINABALU: Three people, including two state assemblymen, could be charged with corruption at the end of this month in relation to mining licences in Sabah, said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki (pic) said the authorities and the suspects are waiting for the Sabah Special Corruption Court to decide their charge dates.
“In Sabah, there are specific dates for the Corruption Court to convene, so we are waiting for them to arrange the time and date,” Azam said on Wednesday.
He said the charge dates are expected to be set within a week.
As of now, the MACC has decided to charge three individuals, but there is the possibility that more could be hauled to court, Azam added.
“In the future, we don’t know. It depends on the deputy public prosecutor.”
A news portal had broken the scandal over mining concessions in Sabah when it published videos purportedly of a businessman and several state officials discussing mining licences in the state.
Azam said the MACC has collected evidence that included audio, video and individual testimonies for the case.
“We are not only relying on the audios or videos. We also depend on statements given by individuals throughout this investigation.”
Meanwhile, in Melaka, the chairman and secretary of a temple association have been remanded in the MACC’s probe into the theft of RM50,000 from the house of worship last year.
Magistrate Uthman Abd Ghani granted a six-day remand order for the temple officials after hearing an application by the Melaka MACC, Bernama reported.
The two, aged 61 and 75, were remanded to assist in investigations under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.
