KUALA LUMPUR: Graft investigators require statements from 50 additional witnesses to assist probes into a highway concessionaire’s top management, who were previously arrested for allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes involving two highway projects in the Klang Valley worth RM1.6bil, says Tan Sri Azam Baki.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner said 11 individuals, including the company’s chief executive officer had been detained, leading to the opening of 11 investigation papers.
“I have been informed that every investigation paper is being actively completed.
“Each paper requires five or six more witnesses.
“So, if there are 11 investigation papers, we are looking at calling up to 50 more witnesses to provide their statements,” he said after launching the Anti-Corruption Initiative Through the Empowerment of Accounting and Auditing Practices programme yesterday.
It was earlier reported that eight individuals, including the CEO and two senior management of the highway concessionaire, were remanded for allegedly accepting bribes involving the construction of two highways in the Klang Valley.
On another matter, Azam said former prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad’s two sons have been granted a final one-month extension to declare their assets.
He said Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir and Mirzan Mahathir now have until mid-September to submit their asset declaration.
Azam said if the brothers fail to declare their assets by the deadline, legal action would be taken.
“This is the final decision (on extension). After they have declared their assets, we will update the media,” he said, Bernama reported.
In January, the MACC presented a notice to Mirzan and Mohkzani to declare all of their assets in the country and abroad accumulated since 1981.
Both Mokhzani and Mirzan were granted multiple deadline extensions by the MACC since then, with the latest one in May, in which they had requested to extend the deadline.
On another matter, Azam said a probe into the demand responsive transit (DRT) project awarded to Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh’s husband was expected to be completed within a month or two.
The DRT is a demand-based ride-sharing public transit service aimed at improving first and last mile connectivity for public transport services.
It is part of the RM25mil Selangor Mobiliti initiative announced during the state’s 2023 Budget to improve the public transport ecosystem.
It was previously reported that Yeoh welcomed the probe by MACC to investigate allegations of awarding the contract involving the DRT pilot project under the Selangor government to Asia Mobility Technologies Sdn Bhd (Asia Mobiliti), of which her husband M. Ramachandran is the chief executive officer.
