The tourism, arts and culture ministry’s secretary-general is currently being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), its minister Mohamaddin Ketapi confirmed today.
Datuk Isham Ishak was called to testify to assist the investigation of the MACC yesterday and today.
However, Mohamaddin said he had not been told whether Isham had been called in for an alleged abuse of power involving more than RM99 million in government contracts reported in January or for other cases.
“I cannot comment further on this matter because I do not want to interfere with the MACC investigation.
“But I want to emphasise that the Pakatan Harapan government is a new and clean government and will not tolerate corrupt officials and those who abuse their power,” he told a press conference here today.
Asked about the ministry’s action against the KSU, Mohamaddin said the man was still carrying out his duties while awaiting the outcome of the MACC investigation.
“If this (case) is very serious and (KSU) needs to be given a break, I will seek the guidance of the Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ismail Bakar,” he said.
On Jan 12, the ministry’s KSU presented himself at the MACC headquarters here to record a statement to assist in the investigation of the misuse of power involving more than RM99 million in government contracts.
Earlier, a former chairman of a government agency with the title Datuk and a woman who was the chief executive officer of a private company were also called in to assist in the investigation of the case.
According to media reports, the former chairman of the government agency was suspected of using his position to propose a directly-appointed company in the Digital Advertising Campaign for the Chinese market for the period 2018 to 2020 estimated at over RM99 million using the allocation of the government agency.
In April last year, former Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong had called on the authorities to look into a promotional contract between Tourism Malaysia and a local company, claiming it had been given under “dubious” circumstances.
He had claimed that a meeting on the RM99.7 million directly-negotiated deal, as well as the approval and signing of the agreement, had taken place within a single day.
Tourism Malaysia director-general Mirza Mohammad Taiyab had refuted Wee’s allegations at the time.