Penang exco, two others remanded for five days
GEORGE TOWN: State executive councillor Phee Boon Poh and two others have been remanded for five days over investigations into an illegal factory in Bukit Mertajam.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had earlier applied for a seven-day remand order but assistant registrar Ameera Mastura Khamis granted a remand of five days at 1.15pm on Saturday.
The three, including the 70year-old manager and his 37year-old son, who is the director of the illegal factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu, were brought back to the lock up after the remand order was issued.
Phee, 66, was represented by R.S.N. Rayer and Ramkarpal Singh while counsel Dev Kumaraendran, V. Parthipan, Khor Chai Koan and Teh See Khoon represented the father and son.
The three, escorted by MACC officers, arrived in three cars at the courthouse at 10.05am on Saturday.
They were arrested between 3.30pm and 6.35pm on Friday after they produced themselves at the state MACC headquarters in Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Earlier on Friday morning, a team of five MACC officers also raided Phee’s office in Komtar and seized some documents.
On Thursday, MACC officers seized documents related to the Kampung Sungai Lembu factory from the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP).
The MACC and several enforcement agencies also raided the factory Thursday, following complaints from villagers who feared fumes from the factory could affect their health.
The carbon filter-processing factory has been operating on agricultural land inside an oil palm estate for more than 10 years.
The operations over the illegal factory also involved officers from the Immigration Department, Department of Environment (DOE), and Inland Revenue Board (IRB).