Duo involved in the graft investigations into the 7.2km RM6.3bil Penang undersea tunnel project remanded.
Two individuals who carry the Datuk title and held high posts in companies involved in the Penang undersea tunnel project were brought to the magistrate’s courts in Putrajaya and George Town by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) personnel.
Both suspects were remanded for six days until Jan 15.
The duo were arrested following the MACC’s raid on the offices of four state government agencies – the Penang Public Works Department, Penang State Secretary, Penang Office of Lands and Mines and Penang Valuation and Property Services Department – and three property development and construction companies, namely Ewein Zenith Sdn Bhd, 555 Capital Sdn Bhd and Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd’s Penang office.
One of the suspects, a deputy company chairman of a property development company, surrendered himself at the MACC’s office in George Town early on Wednesday.
The other suspect, a 59-year-old senior executive director of a company linked to the Penang undersea tunnel project, was arrested at 8.45pm on Tuesday after he was called in to the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya to give a statement in relation to the investigation.
The suspects are believed to be investigated under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009 for soliciting bribe, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of RM10,000, or five times the value of the bribe, whichever is higher, if convicted.
The raid on Tuesday was conducted following new leads received on the RM6.3bil mega project which connects Gurney Drive on Penang island and Bagan Ajam on the mainland.
Last July, Parti Cinta Malaysia’s Datuk Huan Cheng Guan had submitted evidence of malfeasance related to the project.
Huan again presented new evidence to the MACC to aid its probe last week.
The 7.2km undersea tunnel is part of the RM6.3 billion project undertaken by Consortium Zenith. The project also included three paired roads.
The project had raised numerous controversies in recent months, especially on the high cost of the RM305 million feasibility studies as well as the 21-month delay in completing it, even though a payment of RM220 million was made to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) company.
Earlier report: Jan 10, MACC Raids Seven Offices in Penang over Undersea Tunnel Probe