Two businessmen remanded over RM800,000 bribery case in Kuching
KUCHING (Aug 5): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Sarawak has remanded two business owners for allegedly soliciting and receiving more than RM800,000 in bribes to facilitate an application for a non-existent commercial land lot in Kuching.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan issued a six-day remand order until Aug 11 at the Kuching Magistrate's Court today, following an application by MACC.
Sources said the two male suspects, both in their 50s, were arrested around 8pm yesterday when they turned up at the MACC Sarawak office to give their statements.
'Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly conspired to solicit and receive bribes as an inducement to help process an application for a commercial development land lot in Kuching. However, such an application never existed,' the source said.
It is believed the alleged offences took place between 2020 and 2021.
MACC Sarawak director Hasbilah Mohamad Salleh, when contacted, confirmed the arrests, adding that the case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009. bribery case businessman Court lead Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
26 minutes ago
- The Star
Mah Sing acquires land within KLCC for RM260mil
PETALING JAYA: Mah Sing Group Bhd has acquired 1.485-acres of freehold land in the heart of the KLCC precinct from the MUI Group for RM260mil. In a statement, Mah Sing said the strategically located land houses the Corus KLCC hotel and is within five minutes' walking distance from the PETRONAS Twin Towers and Suria KLCC. Mah Sing said the land will be redeveloped into a premium freehold serviced apartment project with an estimated gross development value of RM1.28bil. Units are indicatively priced from RM898,000. Mah Sing founder and group managing director Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum said the acquisition aligns with the group's strategy of unlocking value in prime urban locations with strong demand fundamentals. 'More than just a redevelopment, it's an opportunity to create a prestigious address in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. We are excited to reimagine this prime site into a landmark development that complements the KLCC skyline. 'With its rare freehold status, unrivalled connectivity, and prime city-centre location, we believe the project will have strong international appeal and deliver long-term value to our homebuyers and stakeholders.' The acquisition marks Mah Sing's second land acquisition of the year, reinforcing the group's strategy of unlocking value from prime urban locations with strong demand fundamentals. The land, currently occupied by the Corus Hotel along Jalan Ampang, will undergo a transformative redevelopment as part of Mah Sing's vision for urban regeneration. 'This initiative aims to breathe new life into a legacy property, create job opportunities during and after construction, and stimulate the local economy through increased footfall, tourism, and commercial activity. 'The influx of residents and guests to the area will contribute to the vibrancy of surrounding retail, food and beverage, wellness and professional services,' said Mah Sing.
New Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Frozen chickens: RM880,000 tax fraud attempt stopped at Padang Besar checkpoint
KANGAR: The Customs Department foiled a tax and halal certificate fraud attempt involving 55,572kg of frozen chicken worth more than RM880,000 after intercepting two lorries that had attempted to re-enter Malaysia late last month. The incident occurred around 3.20pm on July 26 when officers stopped the lorries at the Padang Besar Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQs) Complex as they tried to re-enter the country, despite being declared as outbound to Thailand. Perlis Customs director Ismail Hashim said the scam was detected when officers inspected the Customs declaration forms submitted by the lorry drivers. "In this case, the parties involved misused Customs Form K1, which is meant for imported goods, by declaring the frozen chicken as imports from Thailand. "However, earlier observations revealed that they had actually used Form K8, which is for goods in transit. The goods came from Penang and were supposedly en route to Thailand," he told reporters at the Perlis Customs office today. He said the drivers were caught turning back into Malaysia while presenting Form K1 at the checkpoint, falsely declaring that the chicken was imported from the neighbouring country. Ismail said the false declaration was made to obtain a 20 per cent import tax exemption typically granted to goods originating from Southeast Asian countries. "The goods were turned around directly at the checkpoint and re-entered Malaysia. This clearly shows an attempt to evade import duties by manipulating the declaration process," he said. Investigations also found that the origin of the frozen chicken was not Thailand, as claimed, but another Asian nation not eligible for the Asean import tax exemption. Ismail said five individuals, including the lorry drivers, agents and the importer, have been detained to assist investigations. "They are being probed for offences including falsifying the country of origin, attempting to evade import duties, and failing to produce valid halal certification. "If the goods were truly from Thailand, they would be accompanied by halal certification and veterinary documents, as required by regulations," he said. Frozen chicken imports are subject to a permit under Item 1, Part I, Third Schedule of the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023. The seized goods, weighing a total of 55,572kg, are valued at RM883,580, with estimated unpaid taxes amounting to RM166,716. Authorities also confiscated the two lorries involved, valued at about RM240,000. The case is being investigated under Section 133(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967, which carries a penalty of up to RM500,000, imprisonment for up to seven years, or both upon conviction.
New Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
MACC denies issuing notice linked to child pornography probe
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today said it has never issued any notice related to an investigation into the distribution of child pornography. In a statement, the MACC described the notice, which has gone viral on social media, as fake and confirmed it had never been released by the commission. According to the statement, the notice had been circulated via messaging apps and personal email accounts, using the MACC's official identity without authorisation. "The notice in question unlawfully used the names of the MACC Chief Commissioner and Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations), as well as the commission's official logo and headquarters address in Putrajaya, for fraudulent purposes. "As such, we would like to remind the public not to be easily deceived by suspicious emails, messages, or documents circulated through unofficial channels," the statement said. The MACC also advised the public to always verify the authenticity of any information through the commission's official platforms. "The public is urged to verify via MACC's official channels, such as its website at ( ( the official Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Facebook page, or by calling the toll-free line at 1-800-88-6000. "The MACC calls on all parties to cease the spread of this fake document and to report any such messages to the authorities," it added.
