Ministry not tarnished by alleged RM1.5 bln scandal — Ismail

KOTA KINABALU: The image of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKLW) is not in any way tarnished by investigations into the embezzlement of RM1.5 billion funds for rural projects in Sabah.

Its minister, Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said the projects probed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) are believed to be old cases that had already been completed in the past.

He said KKLW is committed to giving the MACC its full support in investigations of old or new cases whilst assuring that affected projects would still be completed for the people.

“To me, nothing is affected. The effect is, of course, on the parties related, the concerned people might be affected. But in terms of the projects, there is no effect,” he told the press after the first 2018 Minister of Rural and Regional Development with Rural Excos Meeting (MEXCLUB) held here yesterday morning.

He also believed that the ministry’s image had not in any way been affected by the alleged scandal.

“People understand, people also know who are involved. We also do not know the result yet as it is still under investigation so it is up to the authority,” said Ismail Sabri.

“Our projects that have been done are not related. Say, the project is to do new work in Sabah, it has nothing to do with the old case. So, in terms of project implementation it has not been disrupted.

Ismail Sabri said among the steps taken to minimize and control such incidents from occurring in the ministry was the setting up of committees that involve other government organizations, like the Ministry of Finance, Public Works Department and Economic Planning Unit.