Lawyer, law firm staff held in FIC probe

PUTRAJAYA: A lawyer and a female staff of a law firm who allegedly prepared the documentations for the sale of one of the two hotels allegedly bought overpriced by Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) are the latest individuals to be detained for investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday.
The 44-year-old lawyer and the 29-year-old woman who are with a law firm in Kuala Lumpur were held at the MACC headquarters at about 4pm after being summoned for questioning.
Sources said the duo are allegedly behind preparing the sales and purchase process between he owners of a luxury hotel in Kensington, London and a third-party company.
The third-party company subsequently sold the hotel to the FIC at a price ballooned way above the market value reaping profits up to about RM40 million.
Investigators also learnt that the lawyer had an interest in the third-party company while the female staff had played a crucial role in closing the deal with the FIC.
Both are expected to be remanded today (FRI).
MACC director of investigations Datuk Simi Abd Ghani when contacted confirmed the arrests and did not discount the possibilities of more people being detained over the case.
On a separate case, the MACC raided seven locations yesterday in its ongoing operation against illegal bauxite in Kuantan.
Sources said among the places raided are the Kuantan Port, the Royal Customs Department and several companies linked to the activity.
Investigators also raided the homes of 10 individuals namely a customs department assistant director and officers of the Land and Mines Department.
The raids saw investigators seizing documents such as bank account passbooks, bank statements, export papers and laptop computers.
Sources also said at least 18 individuals comprising of lorry drivers who ferried the illegally mined bauxite, managers, supervisors and other staff of the companies involved in the activity have had their statements recorded.
The MACC has also applied to freeze the assets and funds of those involved.