Remand extended for 5 over illegal logging
KUANTAN: A Jerantut Forestry Department officer and four others had their remand extended to Wednesday by the magistrate’s court to facilitate a probe into alleged graft linked to illegal logging in the district since 2015.
Senior assistant registrar Tengku Eliana Tuan Kamaruzaman issued the remand against the officer, his wife, a forest ranger, an owner of a logging company and its manager, aged between 40 and 50.
Datuk Ng See Tiong, who were among four lawyers who acted for the five people, confirmed the remand order.
The other lawyers involved are Datuk Syed Azimal Syed Abu Bakar, Hon Kai Ping and Ibrahim Kamaruddin.
Ng said the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC), represented by its deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Fadhly Mohd Zamry, had applied for the remand to be extended by another seven days.
“They argued that they needed the time as some documents could not be located such as credit cards.
“They also claimed that there are many witnesses (that the MACC need to locate) such as in Johor and Pahang,” said Ng when met at the entrance to the complex. He said he and the other lawyers argued against the remand extension.
As he finished speaking, the five people, clad in orange MACC lockup uniforms and with their hands covering their faces, were seen being escorted by the MACC officers out of the complex.
Last Tuesday, the five people were remanded over their alleged involvement in an illicit arrangement that facilitated illegal logging in Jerantut, which had caused Pahang government to lose millions of ringgit since 2015.
They were allegedly involved in the taking and giving of kickbacks to shield the illegal activities from the authorities.
During a swoop by MACC on Monday, they were detained at their homes and workplace in Jerantut.
They are being investigated under Sections 17 (a) and 16 (a) (B) of the MACC Act 2009.