No getting away with graft in Melaka
MELAKA: Civil servants involved in corruption and power abuse, including misappropriating Government funds meant for the poor in the state, will be seriously dealt with, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron.
He added that civil servants should not think that they are untouchable and that any of their wrongdoings would be swept under the carpet.
“Melaka is the first state where the top Government officials were asked to take the anti-graft pledge with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in July 2015.
“This was an initiative by the state government to reach zero corruption cases among civil servants.
“That is why I had called for an in-depth probe into the unauthorised sales of subsidised fertilisers meant for padi farmers in the state in October,” he said in an interview here yesterday.
He was commenting on the MACC’s investigation into the unauthorised claims of free fertilisers involving RM500,000.
Idris had said last month that the signature of a top official of the Merlimau National Farmers Association of Malaysia (Nafas) was allegedly forged to make the claims involving 38 transactions.
MACC begun its probe following the statement by Idris to The Star on Oct 12.
Yesterday, a 38-year-old project manager for an Area Farmers’ Organisation (PPK) was remanded for six days to assist in the investigation into the misappropriation of RM2.54mil from the Federal Government’s Scheme for Fertiliser to aid padi farmer in the state.
The manager attached to the Merlimau PPK in Jasin, was arrested at about 3pm on Monday at the state Farmers Organisation Board office in Jalan Hang Tuah here.
The manager is believed to have submitted 23 false claims for the supply of 56,700 bags of fertiliser throughout 2016 without the approval of the organisation.
The case was confirmed by MACC senior investigation director Datuk Simi Abdul Ghani.