MACC INVESTIGATING A POLITICAL SECRETARY

A political secretary to a senior minister who is said to have amassed millions of ringgit in properties over a short period of time is under investigation by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission.

It is learnt that investigators have obtained an order to seize and freeze several of the properties — including luxury cars and houses — besides freezing bank accounts to facilitate investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Sources said the commission’s seizure list included at least four luxury cars and four houses which they believed belonged to the political secretary who is in his late 30s.

They said the commission was investigating the purchased properties — all in the Klang Valley — allegedly obtained from kickbacks received from the approval of several multi-million ringgit projects.

It is believed several of the properties seized were under the names of people believed to be proxies for the political secretary, and investigators would be calling on the people whose names were registered as owners.

Sources also said the investigators had identified several other people linked to the case and would also be calling them soon to assist in investigations.

Sources said a special team from the commission’s Putrajaya office started investigations about three weeks ago following information received that the political secretary was living well beyond his means.

It is learnt that investigation into the political secretary is among a few high profile cases the commission is investigating following reports and information provided by the public.

The commission’s officers declined to comment when contacted.

MACC DETAINED 605 PEOPLE LAST YEAR

The Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission (MACC) detained 605 people last year on suspicion of being involved in various forms of corruption.

MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan said of that total 323 people or 54 per cent were civilians and privately-employed persons while 282 or 46 per cent were civil servants.

"This clearly shows that there has been a very big change in the awareness of civil servants towards corruption," he said at an anti-corruption and civil service integrity seminar organised jointly by the MACC and the Negri Sembilan branch of Cuepacs that was officiated by Negri Sembilan state secretary Datuk Mat Ali Hassan who represented Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan here Tuesday.

Also present were Cuepacs president Omar Osman, Negri Sembilan police chief Datuk Osman Salleh, state education director Datuk Abdullah Muhammad and state MACC director Zainul Darus.

Ahmad Said's speech was read out by MACC director (Security Division) Datuk Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya.

He said the MACC had received various complaints and done investigation on civilians and private bodies in connection with graft especially in bids to bribe civil servants.

Ahmad Said said following the government's and MACC's efforts to have programmes to educate about corruption and intergrity there has been much positive effect whereby many civil servants had come forward to report about attempts to bribe them.

"The efforts to fight corruption needs planning and implementation of various policies and programmes systematically and continously. The level of awareness regarding the dangers of corruption has to be enhanced from time to time.

"We need to handle the question of integrity comprehensively by instilling noble values in all our actions," he said.

The seminar is also to provide exposure to Negri Sembilan civil service personnel on the aspects of law and procedure related to corruption offences.