KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 15): Malaysia’s anti-graft agency will propose charging at least three senior officers of the armed forces over corruption in military procurement.
Investigation on a former army chief is expected to be completed and sent to the prosecutors on Monday, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said during a press briefing on Thursday. Probes on other senior officers are expected by the end of next week, he said.
“Depending on the deputy public prosecutor, one or two people may be charged in the first case, while at least two people may be charged for the second case,” he said. Both are related to procurement by the armed forces and the misappropriation of public funds, he noted.
The remarks follows last week’s remand of former Malaysian Army chief Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan and his two wives over alleged irregularities in military procurement tenders. He was due for a promotion to Chief of the Defence Forces before the allegations surfaced.
Since then, the MACC has seized RM11.4 million in assets, including cash, gold and luxury goods, from two residences linked to the former armed forces chief in Kuala Lumpur and in Besut, Terengganu.
“For now, I do not think there is a need to state all the details,” he said when asked to elaborate.
Muhammad Hafizuddeain is investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act that deals with accepting a bribe as a public officer and Section 23 that addresses the offence of using position for gratification.
His assets seized include RM4.4 million cash, RM1.4 million in foreign currency, and a Range Rover SVR valued at RM360,000.
Other items confiscated include 26 wrist watches valued at RM2.3 million, RM294,039 in jewellery, two diamond rings valued at RM20,000, RM2.5 million in gold plates, a 150g gold medallion valued at RM102,000, and two gold dinars valued at RM5,780. Company accounts involving RM32.5 million have also been frozen.
The other army officers, meanwhile, are probed under Section 16 (a)(B) of the same Act that covers the crime of a public officer accepting a bribe as the MACC seized RM1.3 million cash, RM721,000 in foreign currencies and various vehicles. Company and personal accounts carrying RM4.7 million were also frozen.