Latest news with #MEXII
New Straits Times
22-05-2025
- New Straits Times
MACC probes MEX II project over false claims, bribery
PUTRAJAYA: Three investigation papers involving the Maju Expressway Extension (MEX II) project have been opened. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said they have arrested nine individuals and recorded statements from 31 people to assist in the investigation. "The first investigation paper involves false claims amounting to RM361 million, which came from sukuk funds. "The second case concerns false disclosures involving RM416 million in sukuk funds and RM50 million in bank loans. "The third case involves certain parties who allegedly solicited and received bribes amounting to around RM12 million," he said.
The Star
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Nanta: Work in progress to resolve MEX II delays
BUKIT KAYU HITAM: The Works Ministry will work closely with all relevant stakeholders to address the delays affecting the Maju Expressway extension project (MEX II), says Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (pic). 'MEX II, as everyone is aware, is facing challenges in reaching completion. 'However, the good news is that all relevant parties, including the Finance Ministry, Works Ministry and Public Works Department, are working together to help resolve the issue. 'The project funders, from whom the developer is securing financing to move the project forward, are also cooperating. 'It's all currently in progress,' he told reporters here yesterday, Bernama reported. Earlier, Nanta inspected the progress of a road alignment project linking the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex to the Sadao Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Thailand. He said a series of meetings, to be chaired by the Works Ministry's deputy secretary-general, will be held soon to determine the necessary actions to resolve the issues causing the delay. The 18km MEX II, which will connect Putrajaya to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, began construction in 2016 and was initially scheduled for completion in December 2019.
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- New Straits Times
RM450mil false claims case: MACC investigators poring over bank documents
KUALA LUMPUR: Graftbusters are examining bank documents related to a RM450 million false claims case, including those belonging to a "Datuk" arrested on Sunday. A source said that the case was still being probed even though the "Datuk" suspect's two-day remand ends today. "Documents are still being reviewed, including bank documents linked to the suspect and the case." The source said more witnesses would be called in to assist in the probe. It was previously reported that a "Datuk" who who was released from remand last Saturday, was once again remanded by MACC. The individual, in his 60s, was detained alongside another suspect in his 50s when they turned up to give their statements at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya on Sunday night. Preliminary investigations found that both suspects allegedly submitted false claims worth around RM450 million. The case is linked to funds from a RM1.3 billion sukuk for the 18km Maju Expressway Extension (MEX II) project.
Free Malaysia Today
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
We don't need Mex II, but smarter, greener mobility
From Boo Jia Cher The work ministry's recent announcement that it is working closely with relevant stakeholders to resolve delays surrounding the Maju Expressway extension (MEX II) is deeply troubling. While not officially revived, the fact that it is still on the table is cause for serious concern. We do not need another highway. Originally launched in 2016 with completion slated for 2019, MEX II has become a glaring example of poor project management. Instead of using the delays as an opportunity to re-evaluate its necessity, the government is pressing on — holding endless meetings to 'resolve outstanding issues', as though the problem is merely technical. It isn't. The issue lies at the conceptual level. MEX II is rooted in the long-debunked belief that building more roads alleviates congestion — a belief now proven to be just a myth by research and real-world outcomes. More roads, more congestion Induced demand is not a fringe theory. It is well-documented: build more roads, attract more cars, and end up with more congestion. It is a vicious cycle that has already choked the Klang Valley into unlivable chaos. How many more interchanges must we build before the government admits it is building itself into a dead end? A choking Klang Valley Just look around: the Klang Valley is already clogged with highways, many of them gridlocked during peak hours despite being built to 'ease traffic'. Developments like Razak City Residences are textbook examples of how this logic fails: encircled by sprawling highways — including the original MEX — residents are left with little choice but to drive or rely on e-hailing just to leave the compound. Outside its gates, walkability is virtually non-existent. Public life is extinguished. The cost of this urban design is borne daily by the residents. They open their windows to the balconies, expecting fresh air, only to be greeted by the ceaseless roar of traffic and the invisible presence of toxic fumes, microplastics, and dust. The very air they breathe in is a cocktail of pollutants, while the promise of convenience is overshadowed by isolation and environmental degradation. And for what? More pollution. More noise. More isolation. It is a hollow trade-off, where the pursuit of development seems blind to its human cost. Financial burdens Let us not forget that building highways is incredibly expensive, and these contracts often go to companies with close ties to those in power. It is a cosy arrangement for the well-connected, but it is the public that pays the price. Not just through ballooning budgets and debt, but also through the everyday cost of car dependency: fuel, tolls, maintenance, and hours lost in traffic. Ordinary people are footing the bill for decisions that benefit a privileged few. Policy incoherence Meanwhile, the government continues to deliver conflicting messages. One day it wants to reduce carbon emissions; next it's laying more asphalt. One ministry talks about improving public transport; another keeps funding projects that directly undermine it. This incoherence is not just wasteful — it is dangerous. Improving existing public transport The truth is, we already have world-class infrastructure connecting Putrajaya and KLIA: the KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit. These are fast, reliable, high-capacity rail systems that should be the backbone of our airport connectivity. Instead of investing in more cars and roads, why not channel funds into increasing train frequency, improving maintenance, and subsidising tickets to make public transport a real alternative? The need for an integrated and modern mobility strategy Better yet, why not ask the harder question: why does the works ministry still operate with a 1970s mindset in a 2025 world? We need a serious reevaluation of its role. A ministry that prioritises highways over holistic mobility planning is no longer fit for purpose. Until we have an integrated strategy that aligns environmental goals, urban livability, and modern transportation needs, the Klang Valley will continue to suffer — and so will all of us who live here. Enough. Stop pretending more highways are the solution. They are the problem. Boo Jia Cher is an FMT reader. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
![[UPDATED] RM416mil false claims: Ex-Maju Holdings executive remanded](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2FMEXX_1746419424.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
New Straits Times
05-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] RM416mil false claims: Ex-Maju Holdings executive remanded
PUTRAJAYA: The former head of finance at Maju Holdings has been remanded over the alleged submission of false claims amounting to RM416 million, linked to funds from a RM1.3 billion sukuk issuance for the 18km extension of the Maju Expressway (MEX II). Assistant Registrar Siti Roslizawati Mohd Zanin granted a five-day detention for the suspect, after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had applied for a seven-day remand. Another man, the owner of the subcontractor company involved in the MEX II project, who was previously arrested and released, has been rearrested by the MACC over a separate allegation of submitting false claims. He will be in the commission's custody for two days. The sukuk, issued by MEX II Sdn Bhd, was owned by Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd. Maju Holdings also owns Maju Expressway Sdn Bhd, the operator of the 26km highway commonly known as MEX, connecting Putrajaya and Cyberjaya with Kuala Lumpur. The duo are being investigated under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 for intending to deceive by making false claims. The 18km MEX II expressway was initially scheduled to be completed in October 2019. However, in December, the project missed its original completion target due to cash flow issues and a stop-work order on key structures. Between 2020 and 2021, the delays worsened, sukuk payments were deferred, and the project's bond ratings were downgraded. Last week, four individuals, including a "Datuk Seri", were remanded in connection with the alleged submission of false claims amounting to RM360 million between 2016 to 2017. On May 3, a former chief executive officer was also remanded for three days. Earlier this month, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the government was actively engaging with stakeholders to resolve the prolonged delays in the MEX II project.
