MACC arrests senior Customs officer, 9 Kuantan Land & Mines Dept staff

KUALA LUMPUR: Four Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers spent about seven hours yesterday in the Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) office at Menara Felda here in their latest series of investigations into FIC’s 2014 acquisition of a four-star hotel in Kuching, Sarawak.

The anti-graft team were seen entering Menara Felda at 10.15am and left the building about 5pm.

They were seen carrying three bags, believed to have contained documents related to the purchase, when they walked out of the building into an awaiting vehicle. When approached by reporters in Menara Felda’s lobby, they refused to comment on the investigations.

Last Friday, MACC chief commissioner Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad ordered an investigation into the purchase of the hotel. Sources revealed that FIC had purchased Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites in Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Kuching, at a hefty RM160 million, some RM50 million over market value.

Investigators are looking at the possibility that there are individuals who have siphoned off the difference. So far, five individuals have been detained to facilitate investigations into the hotel purchase. The hotel in Kuching is FIC’s second purchase that MACC is investigating. It is also looking into the purchase of a hotel in Kensington, London, which is also said to be above market value.