KUALA LUMPUR: Two more individuals have been remanded for five days as part of a probe into an alleged padi fertiliser cartel awarded a project for purchasing padi fertilisers by an agricultural organisation.
The Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court approved the remand application submitted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for both men, aged in their 40s to 50s, yesterday.
According to a source, the suspects were arrested while giving their statements at the MACC headquarters on Wednesday.
Initial investigations revealed that the main suspect received a quotation from a representative of the company involved to obtain approval from the chairman.
“The chairman approved the appointment of the foreign company without comparing prices or consulting the board of directors.
“A contract for the supply of fertilisers worth about RM60mil was awarded through direct negotiation in just six days around June 2022, despite the foreign company never having previously worked with the organisation,” said the source, reported Bernama.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed the arrests, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 16(a) of the MACC Act 2009.
To date, three individuals have been arrested, including a marketing executive from the company who is remanded until tomorrow.
