Petronas Carigali official held
Senior manager among trio arrested over alleged RM23.7mil graft
PETALING JAYA: A senior official with Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (PCSB) was among three individuals nabbed over suspected graft involving RM23.7mil.
The 45-year-old project delivery manager at the company, which engages in oil and gas exploration and production services, was detained by the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) at his office in Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC, yesterday.
Another MACC team also arrested the 57-year-old director of a company that carried out work for PCSB at a house in Batu 9, Jalan Cheras.
A third team raided the residence of a former technical assistant of PCSB in Puncak Alam and detained the 28-year-old there.
MACC director of investigations Datuk Simi Abd Ghani confirmed the arrests, which were carried out between 2.40pm and 3pm.
It is learnt that MACC officers had difficulties conducting a search at the oil and gas company because staff and security personnel were not cooperative.
All three were held overnight at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya and will be remanded today.
According to sources, the trio are believed to have collaborated in submitting three falsified invoices between April and June 2015.
The invoices were inflated amounts for a drilling rig project but no work was ever carried out.
However, PCSB had made full payment to the company.
MACC was also looking at other suspected cases of corruption and abuse of power involving the national oil and gas giant.
In September last year, MACC nabbed a former accountant over alleged misappropriation of RM7mil from Petronas.
The 40-year-old woman worked with a main contractor and was among nine arrested in relation to the RM76mil Lekas III pipeline project in Melaka.
Others arrested were a Petronas manager, a project manager, four main contractors and two sub-contractors suspected of siphoning millions by falsifying invoices.
They allegedly submitted invoices for “extra work” carried, which forced Petronas to pay more than what was budgeted although no additional work was done.
The suspects, aged 35 to 60, were detained in Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu and Kuala Lumpur.
In a separate case in Melaka, two lecturers – a married couple – were also arrested for awarding a pro- curement project to a family member.
The senior lecturer, 35, was detained together with his 32-yearold wife at 2pm yesterday when they arrived at the Melaka MACC headquarters for questioning.
Sources said the couple, from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, are believed to have abused their positions for personal gain.
“Investigations showed the suspects had recommended the appointment of a certain firm for procurement of lab and services equipment for research.
“The project was valued at about RM52,000 and checks showed the firm belonged to a family member,” said the source.
It is learnt that the project was awarded between March 2015 and June last year.
The couple are expected to be remanded in Melaka today.