MACC to charge two Datuks

PUTRAJAYA : Graft prosecutors are hauling two individuals to court in the coming days over alleged misappropriation and bribery involving more than RM2mil.

Tomorrow, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is expected to bring a Datuk Seri to court for allegedly demanding payment to help people being investigated for graft.

The 50-year-old, who is the owner of an engineering consultant firm, is said to have contacted several senior officers of a government agency to help settle a case being investigated by MACC last year.

Sources at the MACC said the man claimed that the case could be settled without having to go through legal means if the officers forked out RM1.8mil.

“The individual claimed that he has ‘inside connection’ in MACC and would help to ensure the civil servants would not be prosecuted.

“Besides ‘selling’ the commission’s name and giving the impression that he has influence in the MACC, the man also claimed that he could help get titles from a certain state,” said the same source.

However, the source did not reveal details of the graft case involving the government officers.

It is learnt that the Datuk Seri has employed the same modus operandi to approach those with cases with the MACC and convince them that for a certain fee, he could help them “settle”.

The source said the suspect had been investigated last year for a similar case.

Today, a Datuk will be charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with committing misappropriation amounting to RM1mil.

The 63-year-old, who had previously served at the Asian Internatio­nal Arbitration Centre, is expected to be charged with misappropriation involving the publication of a book. Sources said he was involved in at least three cases of misappropriation.

“He had written the book himself and there is a misappropriation in approving the purchase of the book worth RM1.01mil between 2016 and 2018,” said a source.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki said the commission was closely monitoring the activities of certain individuals.

“We are investigating a few cases and will take action within the week,” he said.- Star