Detained water dept officials own 38 firms

KOTA KINABALU: Two senior officials of the Sabah Water Department (SWD) who were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Tuesday for allegedly taking bribes amounting to over RM115.5 million had 38 companies between them which were used to secure multi-billion ringgit work contracts.
The companies which were either registered under the names of the siblings or proxies of the SWD director and his deputy were apparently granted building contracts amounting to a whopping RM3.3 billion since 2010.
MACC investigators discovered that 17 companies were linked to the 54-year-old director and the rest to his 51-year-old deputy.
Today, the MACC also seized seven safe deposit boxes belonging to the wives of the suspects from several banks here and uncovered another RM3.3 million in cash and gems.
Sources said investigators believe the RM115.5m in cash, jewellery and other luxury merchandise seized from the suspects and their wives were just the tip of the iceberg as the probe also showed that there were funds the duo had allegedly transferred to overseas bank accounts.
The MACC, it is learnt, is attempting to recover the funds and is seeking assistance from its counterparts in countries the suspects had allegedly parked their ill-gotten gains.
Investigators are also yet to carry out an evaluation on dozens of luxury watches and 127 plots of land owned by the suspects.
It is believed that it is possible that it was double the current sum uncovered.
A special task force comprising 70 officers formed to investigate the case also discovered today that 94 luxury handbags seized from the wife of a suspect were valued at RM500,000.
Apart from the director and his deputy, the MACC on Wednesday also arrested a 55-year-old businessman who is a Datuk and a brother of the former.
The Datuk's 50-year-old accountant who allegedly managed the funds was also arrested.
Sources said the task force has recorded statements from six individuals to date and has identified another 40 witnesses who will be called up to assist in the investigations.
It is learnt that family members of those arrested will soon be summoned to be quizzed.
Contacted today, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki confirmed the latest findings by the special task force.
However, he declined to comment further.
The arrest of the SWD director and his deputy has created history for the MACC as its "biggest seizure of cash, gems and other valuables" since it was formed 49 years ago.