Another brother of Shafie detained

KOTA KINABALU: Another brother of Parti Warisan Sabah president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for investigation into the alleged embezzlement of the RM1.5 billion rural development funds.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (Operations) Datuk Azam Baki confirmed the arrest on Tuesday.

It is understood that Shafie’s brother was detained about 8pm after entering the MACC office at about 5pm to give a statement in connection with several projects under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry that was headed by Shafie between 2009 and 2015.

The other younger brother of Shafie, was detained last week and remains in custody, along with his son-in-law.

To date, the MACC has detained nine people, questioned more than 45 people and frozen a total of RM170 million in bank accounts and assets.

The RM1.5 billion was part of a RM7.5 billion federal allocation for rural development in the state through the Rural and Regional Development Ministry from 2009 to 2015, when Shafie was then the minister in charge.

The MACC investigations are focused on 70 projects involving roads, electricity and water supply for rural areas of Sabah.

Yesterday, Shafie’s younger brother failed in his appeal to have his remand set aside by the High Court here.

Judicial Commissioner Ismail Ibrahim made the decision on the 52year-old Umno Semporna division member, who was remanded to facilitate the MACC investigation into alleged embezzlement of the state rural development funds.

Ismail said he found no reason to set aside the remand order and affirmed the lower court’s decision of allowing the five-day remand extension which took effect from last Sunday.

Earlier, counsel Hamid Ismail, who represented Shafie’s brother, submitted among others, there was no diligent of judicial duty conducted by the magistrate who allowed the remand extension of his client.

He said that one document was missing during the application of remand extension at the lower court and the document was put forth after arguments between both parties ended.

Therefore, he said that the magistrate had erred in law and urged the court to set aside the remand order extension of his client.

In reply, MACC deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Rozanna Abdul Hadi contended that she believed the magistrate had scrutinized all the documents before making his decision. She said that the missing document was already tendered to the court before and she was just submitting a copy to the lower court.

Shafie’s brother was remanded in order to facilitate the MACC investigation under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act 2009.

Rozanna appeared together with DPP Rustam Sanip while Hamid represented Shafie’s brother together with counsel Martin Tommy and Cedric Choo.