PETALING JAYA: Former Army chief Jen Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan has been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over graft allegations.
Also arrested were his two wives after they presented themselves at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday to have their statements recorded in an ongoing probe involving military contract tenders.
Another couple was also arrested earlier in the day over the same probe and remanded for seven days.
Muhammad Hafizuddeain and his two wives will be brought to the Putrajaya courthouse today for remand.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, when contacted last night, confirmed the arrests.
He said the investigation into the matter was ongoing.
“The MACC is committed to conducting the investigation with integrity and professionalism,” he added.
On Tuesday, the MACC secured a five-day remand order for 17 company directors suspected of operating a cartel to fix tenders for Army procurement.
In a statement on its TikTok account, the MACC said magistrate Ezrene Zakariah issued the remand order following an application at the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court that day.
The suspects, comprising nine men and eight women aged between 20 and 60, were detained on Monday while giving statements at the MACC headquarters.
This marks the latest escalation in a widening probe, which saw the MACC freezing six bank accounts on Dec 29 last year.
The accounts are believed to belong to a senior officer and family members connected to the case.
On Dec 23, MACC expanded the investigation into the Defence Ministry itself, reviewing projects awarded through open tenders and managed by the Army Responsibility Centre.
The case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.
Earlier, Azam said the MACC had foiled an attempt to move RM2.4mil in cash linked to its probe into suspected cartel activity involving Army procurement tenders.
The cash, he said, was intercepted while being transferred between two residences by a civilian connected with the case.
Azam said acting on information received on Tuesday, he was informed yesterday morning that his officers had located and secured approximately RM2.4mil, which the individual was attempting to move.
“The cash belongs to one of the suspects in the case,” Azam said when contacted by Bernama yesterday.
