MACC checked 12 tonnes of files
SABAH GRAFT CASE: Agency took a month to check 8,000 payment vouchers
TWENTY-EIGHT individuals — including a director, two former deputy directors, 23 engineers and technicians and two civilians — were remanded in connection with the Sabah Water Department multimillion-ringgit graft scandal.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigations director Datuk Azam Baki yesterday said the agency recorded statements of more than 200 witnesses to assist in investigations.
“Documents were also seized at 30 locations in Sabah, including Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Sandakan and Lahad Datu.
“The commission took a month to analyse 8,000 payment vouchers from 2008 to this year.
“These were extracted from files containing tens of thousands of documents involving all state government departments’ payment claim documents,” he said, adding that the files that were checked weighed 12 tonnes.
Previously, MACC’s investigations implicated top officials in the department in connection with the millions
members delivering food to Serendah landslide siphoned from RM3.3 billion worth of federal allocations for state rural water projects since 2010.
Azam said the investigations, codenamed Op Water I and II, were moving to the final phase, adding that the agency had confiscated, seized and frozen assets worth RM114.5 million, which include cash, bank accounts, trusts and assets (movable and immovable) inside and outside the country.
He said the investigation was carried out in-depth to evaluate the case from various legal aspects.
He said the investigation involved 137 MACC officers from the headquarters, divisions and state offices.
“The commission expects to complete the investigation paper as soon as possible to be submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to decide on the next course of action.”
Azam said the commission viewed the investigations seriously as they concerned the people’s interest.
“The investigations took a long time to conclude because we need to ensure that evidence is sufficient and there will be no problems when the case goes to court.”