Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said he was not aware of the RM107 million embezzlement of funds in the Youth and Sports Ministry while he headed the ministry from April 2009 till May 2013.
He said as minister, he did not communicate directly with the division secretary who was considered the middle layer of the ministry, but always dealt directly with the secretary-general, deputy secretary-general and directors-general.
"Usually, the minister will touch on policies and how to implement them and the secretary-general will liaise with all the related parties.
"In this respect, it is not necessary that everything will be known to the minister, including the ministry's secretary-general," Shabery told reporters after attending a seminar on Food Sovereignty at Universiti Putra Malaysia in Serdang today.
Last Friday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested nine people, including a division secretary of the ministry, related to the misappropriation of government funds amounting to more than RM100 million.
On the arrest of an employee of his ministry yesterday, who had formerly served in the Youth and Sports Ministry, Shabery said he understood the arrest was to facilitate investigations.
The Putrajaya Magistrate's Court today issued a remand order for seven days against the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry employee.
Shabery said he would give his full support to all efforts being taken to get to the bottom of the embezzlement case.
- Bernama
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