Engineer linked to MACC probe named new Sabah Water Department head?

Amarjit Singh, who was remanded last year to help investigations into alleged misappropriation of RM1.5 billion in funds for rural projects, says all will be revealed on Aug 10.

Putatan Parti Warisan Sabah secretary Amarjit Singh. (Facebook pic)

KOTA KINABALU: An engineer who was remanded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in connection with a graft probe last year is said to have been offered a director’s position with the Sabah Water Department.

An appointment letter dated Aug 1, supposedly issued by the state Public Services Commission to Amarjit Singh offering him the position on a three-year contract, has been circulating on WhatsApp.

The purported letter was issued through the state secretary and copied to the National Audit Department’s Sabah branch. The appointment was slated to come into effect on Aug 10.

When contacted, Amarjit, 48, declined to comment on whether he had received the letter, adding that he had been instructed not to say anything on the matter until Aug 10.

“It is too premature to comment now. All will be known on Aug 10,” the Putatan Parti Warisan Sabah secretary said.

The state water department comes under the purview of the infrastructure development ministry.

Amarjit was one of 11 people picked up in connection with corruption investigations involving some RM1.5 billion worth of rural development projects in Sabah last year.

Others picked up by MACC in the high profile case included Warisan president Shafie Apdal, who is now Sabah chief minister, and his vice-president Peter Anthony, who is the present Sabah infrastructure development minister.

However, no one was charged and all were released on MACC bail.

At the time, opposition leaders claimed the investigation was politically motivated to smear the image of Warisan ahead of the 14th general election.

However, then-deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi denied the allegations, saying the MACC had operated independently.

It was reported that MACC had scrutinised 72 projects out of an original list of 350 under the rural and regional development ministry for suspected embezzlement of funds.

The projects were supposed to have been carried out between 2009 and 2015 in Kota Kinabalu, Kudat, Kota Belud, Ranau, Beaufort, Keningau, Lahad Datu, Tawau and Sandakan. -FMT