Six held, Datuk sought

Duo among six nabbed over RM1bil project

Graft busters have detained six individuals, among them a father and son and two Datuks, in connection with a RM1.18bil project in Ijok, Selangor. A third Datuk is being sought by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which has also frozen RM39mil in nine bank accounts belonging to the arrested suspects.

MELAKA: Two Datuks have been arrested, while a third is being sought by graft busters to help investigations involving a RM1.18bil project in Ijok, Selangor.

The two were among six individuals, including officials and staff from firms in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, who were picked up by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday.

The third Datuk is believed to be overseas, sources said.

The case involves the sale of 880ha of land in Ijok to developers.

According to sources, the MACC is investigating financial transactions involving about RM200mil to five companies which received RM68mil, RM62mil, RM42mil, RM16.5mil and RM8.5mil respectively.

The MACC also seized documents from three companies to facilitate investigations.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said five individuals were detained when they turned up at the MACC’s Putrajaya headquarters, while the sixth was arrested at his home in Petaling Jaya.

“We have frozen nine bank accounts of the suspects holding RM39mil. The suspects will be produced in court to be remanded,” he said after a walkabout in Jonker Street here.

Dzulkifli said those detained, aged between 34 and 84, were suspected of being involved in abuse of power and graft. Among them were a father and son.

He added that no politician was among those arrested.

“The alleged case involves the development companies and intermediaries,” he said, adding that the case was being investigated

We have frozen nine bank accounts of the suspects holding RM39mil. Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad

under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 for using one’s office or position for gratification.

According to earlier reports, the land was given to settlers more than 20 years ago through a state programme to upgrade their standard of living.

Two companies, LBCN Development Sdn Bhd and Mujur Zaman Sdn Bhd, were brought in to develop the land for the settlers in 1998.

However, it was reported that they could not hold up their end of the bargain, which required them to build a house for and pay RM180,000 to each of the 981 settlers.

In 2009, then Selangor mentri besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim seized the land from the developers. Both companies took the state to court but lost the case. The developers then appealed to the Federal Court.

In 2016, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali filed a settlement agreement and returned the seized parcel of land to the developers. The land was then sold to a third party company for RM1.18bil.

The settlers were each paid the RM180,000 and given a house worth about RM400,000 by the third party.