The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating all 16 controversial land swap deals that caused the Defence Ministry to suffer a loss of RM515.21 million over the past 25 years.
However, MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said they needed more time to investigate these cases in depth before further action is taken.
“It must be noted that the land swap list is over 25 years, we need more time and face difficulty in getting some evidence.
“We are talking about 25 years involving different ministers, it is not simple like handing out audit reports,” Latheefa told reporters when met at the 11th International Conference on Financial Crime and Terrorism Financing 2019 yesterday.
She noted that the word ‘land swap’ itself was not wrong but the reason for the deal had to be looked at.
“We need to know why the deal was made and we are in the middle of investigations, I believe not every case will be prosecuted, (but) we need some time,” she said.
The deals involved 1,186 hectares of Defence Ministry land valued at RM4.75 billion with project costs of RM4.88 billion.
The ministry had lodged two reports on army camps in Paloh, Johor and Hutan Melintang, Perak in February involving the deals.
On May 17, the ministry lodged reports on the remaining 14 land swap deals.
The land swap deal report tabled in Parliament on May 9, found the involvement of former prime ministers and defence ministers in 13 land swap deals.
These projects were found to have approved due to political considerations as well as national interests.
Meanwhile, Latheefa said the MACC had opened an investigation paper following a Mindef report on the issue of the purchase of six MD530G Light Scout Attack helicopters worth RM321.9 million which had yet to be delivered.
“This case is ongoing, we will definitely inform you once we have completed,” she said.