KUALA LUMPUR: TWO senior-ranking officers attached to a government-linked company and a shipping firm were detained yesterday and are expected to be charged separately today with alleged falsification of claims, amounting to RM3.82 million.
Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation director Datuk Mohd Jamidan Abdullah said the duo, aged between 30 and 50, one of whom a chief financial officer and the other a senior general manager, were arrested after they gave their statements at the commission’s headquarters in Putrajaya.
“They are expected to be charged at Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court tomorrow (Thursday),” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.
Jamidan said the CFO had allegedly made false claims, amounting to RM3.7 million, to a power supplier company to transport goods.
“The senior general manager was alleged to have made false claims of RM120,000 to his department head for seminars which never took place. He had misled the company into making payment to him.”
He said the offences fell under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009, and if convicted, both men could face up to 20 years in jail and a fine of not less than five times of the false claim amount.
Jamidan said MACC was also hot on the heels of a chief executive officer of a public-listed company who had allegedly made false claims amounting to RM7 million.
“The Kuala Lumpur-based CEO is on a business trip overseas and is expected to return to Malaysia at the end of the month. He had allegedly made false claims to secure a loan with a bank.”
Jamidan said the trio were among several individuals from private corporations who were being investigated for allegedly making false claims.
“We received information on the three cases a few years ago. The MACC had since gathered evidence and statements,” he said.
The New Straits Times yesterday reported that the graftbusters, after three successful operations involving government departments in the last two months, are now gearing up for a crackdown on private corporations.
It was reported that MACC was eyeing several individuals from private corporations allegedly involved in making false claims amounting to millions of ringgit.
The private corporations currently under the commission’s scrutiny include several government-linked companies (GLCs), main power supply companies, the oil and gas industry, as well as a renowned local banking institution.
The commission, it was reported, was in the midst of gathering statements and evidence before proceeding with charges.
The graftbusters had earlier hauled up prominent figures from the private sector to court, including from Sime Darby, Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd and Iskandar Investment Berhad.
Jamidan had said that corruption in the private sector had cost the government billions of ringgit in lost revenue.
In September, MACC had launched Op 2b to combat smuggling of alcohol and tobacco at the Port Klang Free Zone.
The operation led to the arrest of 33 officers of various ranks, who were charged with 212 offences involving bribes of more than RM1 million.
MACC had also, on Oct 16, carried out Op Belot to bring down law enforcers who allowed vice dens to operate under their watch for several years.
Twenty enforcement officers from the police, Domestic Trade,
Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, Home Affairs Ministry, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and other local authorities from Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Johor, Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak were charged with 24 counts related to corruption.
On Oct 20, MACC launched another operation, Op Tukul, to combat illegal logging in several states. Seven people were charged under Section 17(b) of the MACC Act 2009 in Sarawak, involving bribes amounting to RM26.3 million.