Suspect to face 158 counts of misappropriating public funds tomorrow

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission will charge a person at the Shah Alam sessions court tomorrow with 158 counts of misappropriating public funds.

MACC chief commissioner Abd Halim Aman said the person, who is suspected of setting up several companies for personal gain, will face additional money laundering charges at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court next week, reported Bernama.

Last week, Halim said the investigation, carried out under Op Sutra, focused on the alleged misappropriation of public funds channelled through an institution to certain organisations, including NGOs.

He said the investigation found that the person at the helm of the organisation was believed to have misappropriated hundreds of millions of ringgit through several companies he had established.

Halim said MACC recorded statements from 40 witnesses and identified two main suspects, although the investigation so far focussed on only one person.

He said MACC had also frozen various assets, including seven houses, four plots of land, three company premises, 19 luxury vehicles, and valuables such as gold bars, watches and handbags, as well as cash in both local and US currencies.

On the Arm Holdings government contract case, Halim said MACC had recorded statements from 26 witnesses and is awaiting a mutual legal assistance application through the Attorney-General’s Chambers to obtain statements from overseas witnesses.

In March last year, the government committed US$225 million (RM930.52 million) to a four-year partnership with Arm Holdings to lower barriers for Malaysian companies seeking access to its intellectual property and technology.

MACC launched investigations in March this year.