17 PMʼS DEPT GUARDS REMANDED OVER MISAPPROPRIATION OF RM3.5m
Personnel held to facilitate probe into misappropriating funds totalling RM3.5m
SEVENTEEN individuals have been remanded five days starting yesterday to facilitate investigations into allegations of power abuse and the misappropriation of funds totalling RM3.5 million.
It is understood that the funds were meant for the recent 14th General Election and that the 17 individuals worked as security guards at the Prime Minister’s Department (PMD).
The remand orders were issued by magistrate Siti Nabilah Abd Rashid at the Putrajaya magistrate’s court following a remand application by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
It is understood that the 17 individuals were arrested under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009. They arrived at the Palace of Justice complex about 9.15am yesterday in an MACC bus.
An MACC source said they were arrested between 2.45pm and 3.15pm yesterday after having their statements recorded at MACC’s headquarters here.
Among those detained is a 51year-old Grade KP52 security officer and 16 security guards aged between 31 and 51.
A source close to the investigation said during the arrests, the MACC also seized RM840,700 in cash and nine motorcycles worth RM90,000.
Meanwhile, a news portal reported that the cash allegedly stolen by the 17 was taken from the office of then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the night of 14th General Election on May 9.
Sources told the portal the money was part of Umno’s election war chest and the men, realising Barisan Nasional (BN) would lose the election, took the opportunity to abscond with the money, which had not been placed in a safe.
“The security personnel were part of a team on duty that night to provide security at the department.
“Those arrested were the ones who at that time were tasked with guarding its main building where the Prime Minister’s Office is located. It is believed that when they learned that BN was going to lose the election, they decided to take something for themselves and went into an office that belonged to the former prime minister,” a source told the portal.
Another source said the authorities become suspicious about the suspects’ involvement when they were seen flashing their sudden wealth, including purchases of new motorcycles.