Crime & Courts

MACC summons former finance minister to record statement on Spanco investigation

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigation into the scandal linked to Spanco Sdn Bhd is still on-going, with a focus on contracts signed between 2020 and 2021.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki did not rule out summoning more people, including a former prime minister, if necessary to facilitate investigations into the case.

"The case on Spanco is related to the period between 2020 and 2021.

"The finance minister during the time has also been summoned to have his statement recorded to assist in investigations into the case.

"We have yet to summon the prime minister (during the period).

"I will leave it to my investigation officer if it is necessary to call up the person (former prime minister) for the investigation into the case," he told reporters here today.

Azam however did not reveal the details and identity of the former finance minister who has had his statement recorded and the said former prime minister.

"Investigation is still on-going. We have yet to release the accounts frozen related to our investigation into the case.

"At the same time, we are not ruling out that all those involved in the approval of projects related to case will be called," he said.

It was reported that MACC raided the residence of a businessman with the title of Tan Sri last month for an investigation into allegations of corruption involving the procurement and management of the government's fleet of vehicles worth RM4.5 billion.

Sources told a Malay daily that the graftbusters also raided four companies including a government vehicle supplier.

The concession to supply and manage government vehicles has been held by Spanco Sdn Bhd since 1993.

However, after the contract ended in 2019, an open tender was launched. Berjaya Group and Naza Sdn Bhd later formed a consortium and secured the contract through a Letter of Intent (LOI) in that year.

Berjaya's founder, Vincent Tan, in July last year filed a lawsuit against the Finance Ministry and Spanco regarding the terminated LOI, alleging that the contract was awarded to Spanco despite their higher bid.

Tan's claims prompted calls for an MACC investigation, but there were no developments until the recent raid.

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