Wheel-chair bound temple official released from MACC

PUTRAJAYA: The senior official of a Batu Caves temple committee implicated in a graft probe has been released from Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) custody.

Magistrate Noraisyah Mohd Yusof rejected the MACC’s request for the man, who is a 75-year-old ‘Tan Sri’, to be remanded for another seven days.

The Tan Sri, who is wheelchair-bound, was allowed to be released under MACC bail and the court also ordered him to be brought to a hospital for a check-up.

His lawyer, Datuk S. Devanandan said the MACC “gave plenty of reasons why he should be detained longer, but we argued that there is no need for my client to be under custody for investigations to be conducted”.

“My client is ready to give full cooperation to their investigation,” he added.

The Tan Sri, his son and another person were remanded on Tuesday.

Magistrate Noraisyah however allowed the other two, who were also part of the temple committee, to be remanded for another day and be released today.

On Monday, MACC investigators raided the official’s house in Kota Damansara, where they examined documents and two luxury cars parked at the residence.

Investigators seized wads of cash in local and foreign currencies and luxury items.

MACC officers also searched the committee’s office in Batu Caves.

MACC sources had said the Tan Sri had been under investigation since last year.

It was reported that a Hindu religious association called on the temple committee to clean over the development of land in Jalan Kuching here that belonged to the committee.

The association claimed to have received “complaints and shocking information” related to the land deal.

It is said that a deal was inked between the committee and a developer to build a commercial and residential project on the plot of land belonging to the temple.

It is alleged that the temple committee was set to gain 25% from the project.