KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission played a critical role in the arrest of a high-profile fugitive Singaporean tycoon who had evaded justice for nearly two decades.
Comprehensive intelligence gathering by its investigators, critical information, including surveillance photos and personal details of the suspects, led to a 70 per cent match of one of them through the use of facial recognition technology.
Its chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the operation began with a request from Singapore's Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) for assistance in verifying and tracing the suspects.
"In April, the CPIB director visited the MACC office to discuss the case in detail.
"Following this meeting, CPIB submitted a formal request for the service of a warrant of arrest under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 2002 (MACMA) and the Summons and Warrants (Special Provisions) Act 1971," he said.
Prior to the execution of the warrant, MACC's intelligence team had gathered critical information, including surveillance photos and personal details of the suspects, he said.
"Further analysis by CPIB using face recognition technology indicated a 70 per cent likelihood of one of the suspects.
"With MACC's cooperation, their location and personal details, including passport and phone numbers, were traced," he said, adding that the Johor MACC office executed the arrest, marking the culmination of a comprehensive operation involving intelligence gathering, surveillance, and close collaboration across agencies.
He said the operation underscores MACC's commitment, through its Foreign Mutual Assistance Investigation branch (Fomia), to international cooperation in combating corruption and transnational crimes.
It also demonstrates the importance of intelligence sharing, surveillance, and agency collaboration in delivering justice.
It was reported that a 19-year manhunt for Singaporean tycoon Ng Teck Lee, who was involved in a $72 million embezzlement case, came to an end on Dec 3 when he and his wife, Thor Chwee Hwa, were arrested in Johor Baru.
According to a Straits Times report, the couple had been on the run since 2005 after Ng, who was the then chief executive officer of the now-defunct recycling company Citiraya Industries, was accused of misappropriating over US$51 million (approximately $72 million at the time).
Citiraya Industries, which was involved in recycling electronic waste to recover precious metals, had clients including semiconductor giants like AMD, Intel, and Infineon.
However, instead of processing the scrap, Ng allegedly diverted it to be sold overseas.
Investigations revealed that he had sold the electronic scrap to syndicates in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The report says Ng coordinated with the company's chief financial officer and other staff to facilitate the sale of the scrap.
The scheme came to light in 2004, after a complaint was lodged regarding a chip from a US-based client that was found in Taiwan.
Investigations later uncovered that Ng had misappropriated 62 shipments (around 89 tonnes) of electronic waste between 2003 and 2004.
Ng is also accused of bribing several individuals, and 12 people have been sentenced to jail for their roles in the scandal.
The tycoon and his wife fled Singapore in 2005 when the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) began investigating the case.