More looted from PMO
PUTRAJAYA: Eight employees of the Prime Minister’s Department are suspected to have stolen a “huge amount” of money that was kept in the office of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak in the early hours of May 10.
The crime was allegedly committed several hours before a similar act, that was reported in theSun on Aug 9 involving 17 security guards at the department who helped themselves to RM3.5 million in cash.
Both incidents took place a day after the defeat of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government i n t he 1 4th general election.
On Monday, the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) nabbed a deputy director-general, who holds the title of “datuk”, and six of his subordinates in the Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) for allegedly carting away “millions of ringgit” that were supposedly meant for the elections.
Sources said the suspects, aged between 34 and 49, were staff of the
now defunct MEIO – a covert spy division in the Prime Minister’s Department under the BN administration, which was disbanded shortly after Pakatan Harapan came into power.
They were taken to a magistrate’s court yesterday, where a five-day remand order was issued against them.
It was learnt the suspects had shared the cash before going on a spending spree.
MACC seized close to RM1 million worth of items and cash from the suspects, and are attempting to ascertain the total amount stolen by them.
In a related development yesterday, the director-general of the former MEIO, a 61year-old woman with the title of “datuk”, was detained after she was summoned for questioning by MACC.
She is suspected to be involved in the case over which her seven subordinates were detained earlier.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki confirmed the senior official had been detained, and said MACC will seek a remand order on her today.
In the other case three weeks ago, 16 of the 17 guards allegedly split the RM3.5 million, each taking more than RM200,000.
An anonymous tip and social media photos of them posing with vehicles and furniture they purchased led to their arrest.
It was learnt a number of boxes containing cash were kept at Najib’s office but most had been removed by his aides before polling day.