Former army chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan and his two wives were among five individuals arrested.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has seized and frozen nearly RM44 million in cash, luxury items and company funds as part of its investigation into alleged irregularities in army procurement tenders.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the seizures included RM4.4 million in cash, foreign currency worth RM1.4 million, a Range Rover valued at RM360,000, and 26 wristwatches worth RM2.3 million, most of them Rolex. Jewellery worth RM294,039, two diamond rings valued at RM20,000, gold bars weighing 3.7kg worth more than RM700,000, over 1kg of gold valued at RM2.5 million, gold medals weighing 150g worth RM102,000, and two gold dinars weighing 8.5g worth RM5,780 were also confiscated.
“The total value of seized physical items stands at RM11.4 million, while 75 company accounts involving RM32.5 million have been frozen,” Azam said at a press conference at MACC headquarters.
He confirmed that 23 individuals had been detained, with investigators opening 22 papers for predicate offences and one for money laundering. The probe is being conducted under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 for receipt of gratification, Section 23 of the same Act for abuse of power by a public officer, and Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2001. Statements from 30 witnesses have been recorded over the past two weeks, with investigations ongoing.
The MACC launched its inquiry after activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, better known as Chegubard, alleged “large cash inflows” were detected in the bank accounts of a senior military officer and his family. He claimed a forensic audit of documents received anonymously showed monthly deposits of RM50,000 to RM60,000.
On 7 January, former army chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan and his two wives were among five individuals arrested by the MACC in connection with the case.