MACC detains YaPeim ex-deputy president

PUTRAJAYA: A former deputy president of the Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPeim) was detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission today for investigations on the alleged misappropriation of RM223,000 which was purportedly disbursed to the poor.
The arrest of the 69-year-old man took place at the commission's headquarters here when the suspect was summoned for questioning over the case at 1pm.
However, the suspect was released at about 6pm after questioning.
He was held following the arrest of a 47-year-old senior director of the foundation on Tuesday.
Sources said both men were allegedly in cahoots when they siphoned the sum which they claimed was allocated for 1,000 poor people and 24 households in Rompin.
It is learnt that the suspects had filed in names and MyKad details of non-existent people or the dead as recipients before initiating the programme.
However, investigators learnt there was not a single recipient of the aid.
MACC director of investigations Datuk Simi Abdul Ghani who confirmed the latest arrest said the case is being probed for criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Penal Code.
It was not the first time YaPeim officials were hauled up for questioning over alleged abuse of power and misappropriation of funds.
In October 2015, the foundations top officials were summoned for questioning over alleged siphoning of funds meant for those displaced in massive floods, said to be the worst ever to hit Kelantan in 2014, leaving over 200,000 homeless.
Another police report was also lodged by a whistleblower non-governmental organisation against the foundation alleging over RM400,000 allocated for an orphanage was used to fund a work and recreational trip of a minister to the USA.