MACC MAY QUIZ ZAHID, HISHAM OVER LAND SWAP
Former defence ministers’ statements likely needed to aid probe into dubious deals
THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will likely summon former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to give their statements regarding the ongoing land swap controversy involving the Defence Ministry (Mindef ).
Without elaborating on when the two would be called, MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki said investigations into the issue began immediately after MACC received a report from the Defence Minister’s Office a few months ago.
“We are investigating two cases that were reported and we have to look into the Defence Ministry’s audit report thoroughly.
“We need to assess and ascertain the alleged elements of corruption and abuse of power in the land swap issue,” he said at the closing ceremony of the anti-corruption training for Thailand’s Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (ONACC) here yesterday.
Zahid was defence minister from 2009 to 2013, while Hishammuddin succeeded him until the change in government last year.
It was reported that Hishammuddin also filed a report over the ministry’s dubious land swap deals to MACC last week.
Azam said no arrests had been made yet.
Last Thursday, the Defence Ministry lodged a report with the MACC on the remaining 14 dubious land swap deals involving the ministry.
The report was lodged by special officer to the defence minister, Mohd Nasaie Ismail, at the MACC headquarters following the Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigating Committee’s findings on 16 land swap deals involving land belonging to the ministry.
The 16 land swap deals involved land in Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, Tanah Batu Uban in Penang, Bukit Raja in Selangor, Pientong in Johor, Tanah Rata in Pahang, Bandar Kinrara in Selangor and Stampin in Sarawak.
The report also showed other weaknesses, including the planning and procurement that led to the original purpose of the project, which was to improve the military’s state of preparedness, which had not been fully achieved.
In February, the ministry lodged a report with the MACC on two projects involving the construction of army camps in Paloh, Johor, and Hutan Melintang, Perak.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu had previously said investigations showed that the government lost more than RM500 million due to these land swap deals.
The 16 projects, covering an area of 2,923 acres, were on a design-and-build basis, with the cost borne by the private sector.
Mohamad said discrepancies were detected, including sale of land at low prices, while other land swap projects were given to unqualified developers.