KUALA LUMPUR (July 9): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) sent a team of nearly a dozen investigators to probe the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) on Tuesday, said Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

The agency sent five officers to the Ministry of Human Resources (MOHR), and six to HRD Corp’s office to retrieve some documents, Azam told The Edge. Investigations will be focused on investments, management of training funds, and property purchases by HRD Corp, he said in a text message.

The MACC will examine every form of expenditure and the company’s financials, Azam added. “So far, no statements have been taken from any party”, though the MACC has listed several HRD Corp officers to be called for further questioning, he said.

The MACC later in the day released a press statement, confirming that it had started investigations on HRD Corp. The main focus of the investigations will be directed towards "elements of criminality". 

"MACC would like to clarify that its investigations will not focus on the issues of management weaknesses and non-compliance with regulations because these matters have already been explained and addressed by the management of HRD Corp during the exit conference with the National Audit Department previously," it said. 

The case is being investigated under Sections 23 and 18 of the MACC Act 2009.

HRD Corp, supervised by the MOHR, is responsible for collecting levies from key industries and disbursing training grants to registered employers through the Human Resources Development Fund.

The investigation follows reports issued by the auditor general (AG) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which highlighted a series of mismanagement and unusual transactions that included suspicious disbursements, dubious property deals, and risky investments.

On Saturday, MACC deputy chief commissioner of operations Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya said a special task force is probing the findings in the AG's Report.

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said last Friday he had directed a report to be filed with the MACC, following the release of the twin reports on Thursday. He said the MOHR had also taken steps to ensure that the issues raised would not happen again.

The AG last week flagged suspicious disbursement of training grants totalling RM51.69 million to some 3,700 individuals who attended training multiple times under the Gerak Insan Gemilang scheme. More than 200 participants were flagged for identical names and identification numbers.

The PAC also held its own investigation into HRD Corp, and found that the company had been utilising a significant portion of the levy it collected from companies for risky investments.

The bipartisan parliamentary committee also found that HRD Corp had engaged in several dubious property deals. 

Read also:
HRD Corp acknowledges audit findings, says collected levies should only be for employee training 
MACC forms special team to investigate HRD Corp
Shenanigans at HRD Corp
MACC says will examine documents on HRD Corp to check for wrongdoing
HR ministry submits report on HRD Corp mismanagement to MACC
HR Ministry to file report to MACC over auditor general's findings on HRD Corp — Steven Sim
PAC flags dubious property deals by HRD Corp
PAC reveals HRD Corp has been using levy collected for risky investments
AG flags HRD Corp for suspicious RM51.69m disbursements