By Shalina R
Pairin says awaiting detailed report on RM4 mln corruption case from dept
KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan is awaiting the detailed report on the RM4 million corruption case involving a transportation infrastructure project in Sabah.
"I myself am waiting for the report that is more detailed from the Sabah State Railway Department (JKNS), and I have not yet received the report," he said.
"We only know the preliminary, it has indeed happened, that there are four people currently being investigated by SPRM (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission).
"We are all waiting for details that we will get later," Pairin, who is also Infrastructure Development Minister, told the press after the Sustainable Energy Convention officiating ceremony here yesterday morning.
Pairin said this in response to the SPRM seizure of the money, following the arrest of four people that included a deputy director of a government department on Tuesday and the opening of deposit boxes belonging to the suspect at several banks.
On January 24, Sabah SPRM director Datuk Sazali Salbi said the commission was applying for a caveat on some properties suspected to be purchased using money from bribery or power abuse so that they would not be sold or undergo ownership change during the investigation.
He said the four people, who were arrested and remanded for seven days from Tuesday, were connected to the emergency maintenance and repair of rail transport that was found to be a fake project.
According to Sazali, another investigation paper under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) had also been opened to determine whether the money obtained through bribery and power abuse had been used to buy land, house, shop house or jewellery.
He said SPRM had identified six to seven houses, totaling RM2.7 million, bought under the names of the suspects and their family members in Sabah, Kuala Lumpur and Johor.