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Showing posts with label high-ranking officials. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high-ranking officials. Show all posts

Saturday 31 December 2016

Year in review 2016 - MACC makes record haul in 49 years from top officers of Sabah Water dept

https://youtu.be/BL7sTmRnARk

Azam Baki (L4) and other MACC officials with the cash and jewelry seized, at a press conference on Oct 5, 2016. — BBX

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) landed its biggest haul since it was set up 49 years ago when it seized RM114.5 million from two senior officers from the Sabah Water Department (SWD) in October.

In a year when MACC bared its fangs, the commission detained the director and deputy director of SWD, which is a government department.

The top officials were alleged to have misused their power in handling infrastructure projects valued at RM3.3 billion. MACC also seized some RM53.7 million in cash.

A total of 19 engineers from the department were also arrested for allegedly receiving kickbacks of between 27% and 30% of the value of SWD projects and emergency response work awarded to contractors.

Meanwhile at MACC, Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad was appointed the new chief commissioner and took his oath of office on Aug 23.

Dzulkifli, the former national revenue recovery enforcement team director from the Attorney-General’s Chambers, succeeded Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed who stepped down as MACC chief commissioner on Aug 1 after being appointed to the Austrian-based International Anti-Corruption Academy as a board member and visiting expert.

MACC director of investigations Datuk Azam Baki was also promoted as deputy chief commissioner (operations), while its community education division director Datuk Shamshun Baharin Mohd Jamil was appointed deputy chief commissioner (prevention).

Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was investigated by MACC following complaints that he had corruptly purchased a bungalow for a “below market price” of RM2.8 million.

The actual value of the bungalow that Lim bought from a businesswoman Phang Li Koon, was said to be RM4.27 million. He was arrested on June 29 and charged with corruption at the Penang High Court on June 30 but claimed trial.

Statistics revealed that the number of people arrested for corruption from January to September, this year, was 727. This is an increase from 688 in the same period last year.

Other notable corruption cases this year include:

* Jan 18: MACC arrested 14 people, including three Road Transport Department officers, to facilitate investigations into the “sale” of driving licences for between RM2,500 and RM2,800 each in Sarawak. The suspects, aged between 19 and 50, were picked up in an operation in Limbang, Miri, Bintulu and Sibu since Jan 11. They were found to be trying to obtain the licences by submitting false documents to change Brunei driving licences into Malaysian ones.

* Aug 30: The chairman of a bank with the title of “Tan Sri” was remanded for seven days until Sept 5 to assist in the investigation into misappropriation of funds in a RM15 million book publishing contract. Four others, namely the managing director of the same bank with the title of “Datuk”, the bank’s former director of procurement and two publishing company owners were released by MACC on completion of investigations. A total of seven individuals had been arrested by the MACC to assist in investigations in the case. The chairman was charged in the sessions court with criminal breach of trust.

* Sept 20: MACC detained a 55-year-old doctor and 30-year-old general clerk from a district health department for allegedly being involved in fraudulent claims amounting to RM900,000. Johor MACC director Datuk Simi Abd Ghani had stated the suspects were allegedly involved in making 59 payment vouchers for some materials, amounting to RM900,000, between 2015 and 2016. However, the materials never reached the department and the vouchers involved six services’ companies.

*Oct 10: A Datuk Seri and his accomplice were arrested by the MACC for allegedly duping a 58-year-old woman into paying RM125,000 to make changes to erroneous entries in her husband’s death certificate.

The duo had supposedly offered to assist the woman and demanded the huge sum of money from the victim. They had supposedly claimed that the funds were to pay off an officer at the National Registration Department at Putrajaya.

This year, there were a number of charges involving high ranking officers by the MACC.

They included the cases of Kuala Lumpur City Hall project management executive director Datuk Seri Syed Affendy Ali charged with 18 counts of corruption and money laundering involving RM4 million; Kota Baru Tenaga Nasional Berhad manager Arman Che Othman charged with 13 counts corruption and money laundering amounting to RM125,200; and Malacca Public Works Department director Datuk Khalid Omar charged with two counts of corruption and money laundering amounting to RM4 million.

Source: Charles Ramendran newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Related:


Trio slapped with 34 money laundering charges involving more than RM61mil


KOTA KINABALU: A former Sabah Water Department director, his wife and his former deputy were slapped with 34 money laundering charges involving RM61.4mil in what the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission is calling the nation’s biggest graft probe so far.

The former director Ag Mohd Tahir Ag Mohd Talib, 54, was hit with 12 charges for a sum totalling RM56.9mil while his wife Fauziah Piut, 51, faced 19 similar charges involving cash and properties totalling RM2.2mil.

Ag Mohd Tahir’s former deputy Lim Lam Beng, 64, faced four charges involving property and cash totalling RM2.3mil.

All three claimed trial to the charges in the Special Corruption Court after being produced before Sessions Court judge Ummu Kalthom Abdul Samad.

Ag Mohd Tahir was the first to be charged when the hearing began at 10.15am.


 Ag Mohd Tahir Ag Mohd Talib, 54 (former Sabah Water Department director) 12 charges involving RM56.9mil.

He faced eight charges of being in possession of RM56.9mil cash and in four bank accounts, two charges of owning six luxury vehicles and a charge of owning 86 types of branded watches.

He also faced another charge of being directly involved in handing over RM14,000 to an individual, Cristine Fiona M. Ponsoi.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1) (b) and Section 4(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA).

Fauziah faced 18 charges for being in possession of more than RM2.2mil in 18 bank accounts. She was also accused of using proceeds from illegal activities to own 93 branded hand bags.

Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah were also jointly charged with owning 575 pieces of gold jewellery and another charge of being in possession of 376 other types of jewellery acquired through illegal means.

They were represented by counsel Hairul Vairon Othman and Ariel C. Dasan who were acting for P. J. Pareira.



Fauziah Piut, 51 (Ag Mohd Tahir’s wife) 18 charges involving RM2.2mil.

Lim, who has been suspended as state Finance Ministry advisor, who was represented by counsel Chin Teck Ming, was accused of being in possession of more than RM2.38mil that was allegedly from the proceeds of illegal activities.

Ummu Kalthom subsequently allowed Ag Mohd Tahir to be released on a RM10mil bail – one of the country’s biggest bail amounts set in the country.

She also allowed Fauziah to be released on a RM2mil bail while Lim’s bail was set at RM1mil with the case management to be heard on Feb 28.

Ummu Kalthom also ordered their travel documents to be surrendered to the court.


Lim Lam Beng, 64 (Technical and Engineering advisor, Ag Mohd Tahir’s former deputy) 4 charges involving RM2.38mil

In arguing for the RM10mil bail for Ag Mohd Tahir, Deputy Public Prosecutor of the MACC Husmamuddin Hussin said the property seizures in the case were the largest so far made by the MACC and any other enforcement agency.

The offence is related to the corrupt act by a civil servant entrusted to manage an important resource – water, Husmamuddin said.

Hairul in arguing for Ag Mohd Tahir’s bail to be fixed at RM10,000 for each charge, said bail should not be excessive to the point of penalising his clients.

By Muguntan Vanar, ruben sario, Stephanie Lee The Star

Related stories:

Director and wife to appeal against record RM12mil bail
More to be charged in connection with the scandal
Three accused steer clear of media spotlight

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Friday 23 December 2016

Hopelessness among public after rampant fraud & corruption cases, says Auditor-General

RM2bil recovered from audits


The Government seldom receives dividends and whenever loans are given to these GLCs, they keep piling up', says Tan Sri Ambrin Buang

KUANTAN: Government agencies have recovered an estimated RM2bil in follow-up actions after the recent audits, said Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang.

Ambrin said this was just based on a small sample size of agencies audited, so cases of misappropriated funds could have been a lot larger.

“If there had not been audits, the RM2bil would have been lost. People always ask me the extent of leakages in this country but I do not know because we only carry out audits on a limited sample size.

“For example, we did an audit on security in schools. The sample size is only 46 schools out of some 10,000 schools nationwide.

“Within that sample, there are already all kinds of weaknesses and leakages so imagine how widespread it is,” Ambrin said at an integrity talk programme here yesterday.

He said there was a feeling of hopelessness among the public when they kept reading about cases of fraud and corruption in the Auditor-General’s reports.

“There was a case where a 300m to 400m road construction contract was given to four contractors.

“Then there’s that incident at the Youth and Sports Ministry and that one at the Sabah Water Department.

“People are questioning how these things can happen and what kind of country we are living in where corruption like this can take place.

“Almost every day there are reports of government officials getting caught for corruption.

“I can’t deny there are officials with integrity but a few rotten apples destroy everything,” he said.

He also spoke about government-linked companies (GLCs) that were draining the Government’s resources without giving anything back in return.

“GLCs get all sorts of aid like projects, grants and financial assistance but what does the Government get out of it?

“The Government seldom receives dividends and whenever loans are given to these GLCs, they keep piling up.

“These GLCs burden the Government, so we must examine the cause. Those with experience should run a company but look at who are on the board of directors.

“I am sorry to say government officials cannot succeed in business because they have a different mindset,” he said.

Ambrin added that management could not be left as the dominant force without the supervision of the board of directors, but this would not be effective if the directors themselves did not contribute anything.

In his conclusion, Ambrin proposed that excellent work be made a culture in government service to repair the damaged public perception.

To achieve it, he said four aspects had to be looked into, which were attitude, skills, knowledge and integrity.

“Continuous improvement is humanly possible to achieve. The question is whether we want to improve or not,” he said.

By Ong Han Sean The Star/Asian News Network

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Wednesday 14 December 2016

Corruption among the privileged rampant! Graft probe in Sabah almost done

Perak Ruler warns against corruption committed by high-ranking individuals


TANJUNG MALIM: The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, is concerned about the corruption and criminal breach of trust committed wantonly by highly-educated and high-ranking individuals and on a large scale.

“Allah has stressed that humans should not take for themselves the property of others through methods disallowed by Islamic law.

“It is equally wrong for one to hire false witnesses or give bribes to judges with the intention of influencing a decision to enrich oneself.

“Property acquired through such methods is tantamount to cruelty and oppression of others,” he said at the state-level Maulidur Rasul 1438H celebration here.

On judges, Sultan Nazrin said that a human being, conscious and fearful of God, would realise that his duty was entrusted to him by God.

“A judge should not be so bold as to change the law in his judgment to wrong what is right and to right what is wrong because it is a sin in Allah’s eyes to do so.”

Sultan Nazrin said history had shown many a government and civilisation collapse because of acts of embezzlement and corruption, greed for material possessions and abuse of power.

“In the history of Islamic governments, many among the leaders of the Bani Umaiyyah (Umayyad Caliphate) and Bani Abbas (Abbasid Caliphate) were preoccupied with worldly pleasures and willing to use their wealth to remain in power.”

He said that as followers of Prophet Muhammad, every Muslim should instil in themselves the determination and willpower to be incorruptible and trustworthy.

In Kuala Terengganu, the Sultan of Terengganu, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, urged Muslims to avoid quarrelling among themselves and forming factions, reports Bernama.

He said Muslims should have an open attitude and practise tolerance so they can live in peace with each other, hence receiving the blessings of Allah.

“With the theme of the Maulidur Rasul celebration this year being ‘Islamic Solidarity: The Foundation of Muslim Unity’, it is only apt to use Prophet Muhammad as the best example.

“The Prophet did not use force, but changed people by being exemplary and with the spirit of brotherhood, love and care for the welfare of the community, which led to the formation of a sovereign Islamic community in Madinah.”

He said Prophet Muhammad had left mankind two legacies, namely the Quran and the Sunnah (sayings and teachings of the prophet).

Source: The Star/ANN

Graft probe in Sabah almost done


KOTA KINABALU: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is one step closer to completing its probe on the suspected graft and abuse of power in the Sabah Water Department.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said investigators had pored over nearly 12 tonnes of documents and would be submitting the investigation papers to the Attorney-General’s Chambers soon.

He said MACC officials had spent nearly a month analysing 8,000 payment vouchers between 2008 and 2016 from tens of thousands of documents.

The documents were seized from 30 locations around Sabah, including Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Sandakan and Lahad Datu.

Azam said 28 people including the department’s director and two of his deputies were detained during the course of their investigations since early October.

Also detained were 23 divisional and district engineers and two more individuals who are involved in the case.

MACC also recorded statements from 200 witnesses, Azam added.

He said MACC also seized properties and cash and froze bank accounts, unit trusts and other assets totalling some RM114.5mil within and outside the country.

Azam said 137 MACC officers from headquarters as well as various divisions and states were involved in the investigations.

In the scandal, several Sabah Water Department officials are being investigated over allegations that they abused their power by awarding contracts to 38 companies owned by their families or cronies to siphon off federal funds.

MACC investigators have implicated top department officials in connection with the siphoning of RM3.3bil worth of federal allocations for state rural water projects since 2010.

Azam had been reported as saying that certain individuals in the department may have collected as much as 27% to 30% in kickbacks from the contracts awarded.

MACC investigators are also looking into suspected money laundering activities in their bid to recover some of the RM30mil that has reportedly been stashed in overseas accounts.

By Ruben Sario The Star/ANN

Related:

MACC analyses 12 tonnes of files in Sabah graft probe

Graft probe into Sabah Water Department uncovers another S$10 ...


Related posts:

United against corruption for development, peace and security Aerial group photo of staff in Geneva simulating the Sustainable Developme...

"First of all, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) can only compel someone to declare his assets. Once the assets are d...


https://youtu.be/7FRTMX53TLc Sniffing out signs of life: The K-9 unit of the City Fire and Rescue operations looking for possible vict...




PETALING JAYA: Two senior government officials have been remanded in Malacca and Johor over separate cases of graft involving millions of... 

MINISTER in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Paul Low recently told the Dewan Rakyat that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission..

Oct 8, 2016 ... Water theft: 60% of RM3.3bil project allocation stolen by senior officers ... the two senior Sabah Water Department officers, said there seemed to ...

Oct 7, 2016 ... No water but officials flush with funds: abuse of power, nepotism, cronyism, bribery and money laundering. Logo Jabatan Air Negeri Sabah ...


Mar 10, 2016 ... KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's ranking dropped four places in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) last year. The index, released by ...

Mar 23, 2016 ... The Corruption case in the Youth & Sports Ministry Malaysia is a reflection of broken systems in country. The brazen embezzlement of ...