MACC closing in on Misdec graft case
Five to assist in probe into father and son’s alleged embezzlement
MELAKA: Five people have been called in over the alleged misappropriation of funds by a father-andson management team of Melaka Industrial Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Centre (Misdec).
They include a Misdec director and an officer with the Melaka Economic Planning Unit.
Sources said more witnesses are expected to be summoned soon by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to assist in the probe.
“Investigations are also moving towards identifying the possible abetment by other senior officials in embezzling the funds with the suspects.
“Checks showed that from 2012 to last year, a sum of RM19mil had been given to Misdec by the Human Resources Minister and Melaka government,” said the source.
Misdec is a non-governmental organisation set up in 1994 to provide skills training to youths and is based at Batu Berendam industrial estate here.
It is learnt the Misdec manage- ment had failed to submit minutes of meetings for the past eight years to the Registrar of Societies.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said a one-week remand order was obtained to question both suspects.
The 76-year-old father is the executive manager while his son, aged 43, holds the post of administration and finance unit manager.
They were suspected to have abused their position to transfer a sum of RM4mil to their personal accounts between 2014 and 2015.
So far, MACC has frozen RM600,000 in cash along with equipment and a four wheel drive worth RM350,000.
In an unrelated case in Kuantan, two farmers were jailed for a day and ordered to pay a hefty fine after they changed their pleas to guilty.
Law Hee Thiam, 38, was slapped with a RM75,000 fine while Chan Kok Fong, 40, was ordered to pay RM125,000 for committing corruption.
When the case was up for hear- ing before Sessions Court judge Habibah Mohamed Yusof yesterday, both accused decided to plead guilty.
Law and Chan admitted to offering bribes to officials of the National Security Council not to take action against their illegal farms in Cameron Highlands.