PETALILING JAYA: According to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the misuse of sukuk funds for a Klang Valley expressway project was carried out by professionals along with several firms to complicate the tracking of money movements.
The MACC Chief Commissioner, Azam Baki, mentioned that the professionals implicated consisted of auditors, financial specialists, along with engineers, according to a report by Utusan Malaysia.
He mentioned too that the businessman bearing the "Tan Sri" honorific hasn't been interrogated yet because he is currently admitted to a private hospital.
Today, investigators acquired a medical evaluation from the treating physician to confirm the Tan Sri’s health status prior to recording his statement.
"Meanwhile, 45 people who had earlier provided statements have been asked to return for additional information," he stated.
Azam mentioned that the investigative team is also pursuing luxury cars and real estate owned by the Tan Sri in London and Switzerland.
He mentioned that the current investigation centers around determining the true worth of expensive alcoholic drinks held by the Tan Sri, as there are speculations suggesting that part of the misused money might have been shifted to different accounts.
“ simultaneously, a notification for asset disclosure has been sent to Tan Sri and other pertinent individuals,” he further stated.
So far, the confiscated assets encompass 14 personal bank accounts amounting to RM4.5 million, eight corporate accounts totaling RM33 million, one high-end condo and a piece of land appraised at RM24.5 million, along with nine cars valued at RM7.65 million.
Azam mentioned that an additional 13 vehicles still need to be transferred to the investigators.
In addition, luxury timepieces with an approximate value of RM25 million, high-end designer handbags priced at about RM3 million, jewellery along with diamonds estimated at RM6 million, and four equines valued at RM400,000 were also confiscated.
Alcoholic drinks worth RM3 million, foreign assets totaling more than RM15 million, along with gambling activities believed to be around RM20 million, are all part of the ongoing probe.
He added that investigations are also concentrating on RM12 million believed to have been offered as bribes to specific entities, aimed at streamlining the transfer of funds back and forth to the suspect's control.
Earlier, Azam mentioned that the anticorruption authority was probing three cases involving suspected bribes and fraudulent statements linked to the Maju Expressway Extension (MEX II) project.
He mentioned that the initial investigative report covers fraudulent assertions totaling RM361 million derived from sukuk funds, whereas the subsequent case pertains to misleading declarations encompassing RM416 million in sukuk funds along with RM50 million in bank loans. In addition, the third scenario entails alleged bribery where specific individuals purportedly sought and obtained approximately RM12 million.