This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on January 9, 2019 - January 15, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: A former Tourism Malaysia top official with a ‘Datuk’ title has been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), according to news reports.

The individual, who is also said to be a well-known businessman, is expected to be remanded today, both The Star and Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported, citing sources.

The Star said the official was summoned by MACC yesterday to have his statement recorded. The individual was then arrested after several hours into his questioning.

According to FMT, the detention was made under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009, which relates to using one’s office for gratification. If found guilty, he can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined not less than five times the gratification or RM10,000 — whichever is higher.

It was reported in June last year that the MACC had visited Tourism Malaysia. Its then chairman Datuk Dr Siew Ka Wei issued a statement on last June 8, saying Tourism Malaysia had given its full cooperation to the anti-graft commission.

The visit came after former Tourism Malaysia chairman Wee Choo Keong, in end-May, raised questions over a RM99 million deal between a local company and Tourism Malaysia, which Wee claimed was made in a rush and against the government’s procurement regulations.

It was reported at the time that the contract involved the local company acting as a go-between for Tourism Malaysia and a China-based firm to promote Malaysia on social media platforms.