Richard Riot gives statement to MACC
PUTRAJAYA: Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem spent 10 hours at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters yesterday.
Although the 66-year-old Serian member of parliament looked tired, he smiled at reporters and photographers who had waited for him since 10am.
“I came just to assist MACC in its investigations, that’s all,” he said before he entered his car at about 8pm.
Asked why it took so long to have his statement taken, he replied: “Biasalah (it is normal).”
He said he did not submit anything to MACC because he came to the headquarters without any documents.
Riot was here to give his statement into a probe into an alleged misappropriation of the Skills Development Fund Corporation (SDFC).
It was reported that his political secretary had been remanded for six days to assist in the probe.
The remand order, effective yesterday until Oct 3, on the 61year-old “Datuk” was issued by magistrate Azizah Ahmad.
He is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 for giving or accepting gratification by agent.
The man who is a member of the Sarawak United People’s Party, attached to its Serian branch, was detained at the MACC headquarters here at 12.30pm on Wednesday after having his statement recorded.
It was reported that the probe involves misappropriation of allocations channelled into SDFC.
The man is the fifth to be arrested in connection with the probe.
Four people were arrested earlier this month at several locations in Kuala Lumpur.
Initial investigations revealed that they had embezzled RM15 million last year and RM25 million this year.
SDFC was established in June 2006 under the Skills Development Fund Act 2004 (Act 640) to manage the Skills Development Fund, which was previously run by the Skills Development Fund Division under the Human Resources Ministry.
In Ipoh, more people, including officials from the Human Resources Ministry, were expected to be called by MACC in relation to its probe into the alleged misappropriation of RM40 million from SDFC.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said the commission was scrutinising statements that had been recorded and would call up more people should the need arise.
“We are looking at documents (on) the approvals by the relevant officers.
“We opened the investigation paper based on the intelligence gathered and public tip-off,” he said after the launch of an AntiCorruption Tour at the state MACC headquarters.
Dzulkifli said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem was called to have his statement recorded at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.
“We called the minister to record his statement and not for remand.
“We will call him again, and other witnesses, if there is a need, to assist with the investigation,” he said.