ANOTHER DATUK HELD OVER IJOK LAND ISSUE
He surrendered himself to MACC after returning from Bangkok vacation
THE Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) has obtained a seven-day remand order against another Datuk to assist in its probe into the controversial RM1.18 billion Ijok land deal involving the PKRled Selangor government.
The remand order began yesterday and was issued by magistrate Ainna Sherina Saipolamin at the magistrate’s court here.
The Datuk, 53, arrived at the courthouse at 9am handcuffed and in MACC’s lock-up T-shirt.
He was arrested at MACC headquarters here at 6pm on Wednesday, after having his statement recorded upon his return from Bangkok.
According to his counsel, Amrit Pal Singh, he applied for the remand to end at 5pm yesterday, saying that his client had cooperated with MACC from the beginning of the investigation and had surrendered to the commission upon returning from a family vacation in Bangkok.
“We applied for a consideration because he returned from Thailand on his own accord to cooperate with the commission after learning that six people have been arrested in connection with the case.
“However, it was rejected for not submitting a medical report on his health condition.
“He was picked up from the airport at 2.15pm on Wednesday and brought back to his house, and later to MACC headquarters, where he was arrested.”
The suspect is the seventh to be arrested in the probe into the RM1.18 billion project.
On Tuesday, MACC arrested six people, including two Datuks, and a father and son.
On Wednesday, magistrate Khir Nizam Jemari issued a fourday remand order against all six detainees until Saturday.
It was reported that MACC was investigating financial transactions involving RM200 million to five companies, with each receiving RM68 million, RM62 million RM42 million, RM16.5 million and RM8.5 million.
The issue first came to light in February when Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications director Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan urged Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali to clarify why the Selangor government handed over a plot of land in Ijok worth RM1.18 billion to developers Mujur Zaman Sdn Bhd and LCBN Development Sdn Bhd in 2016.