District officer and surveyor nabbed by MACC over contracts in Selangor

PUTRAJAYA: A district officer and a quantity surveyor have been remanded for allegedly receiving bribes from a contractor in Selangor, bringing to five the number of people arrested so far.

Putrajaya Magistrate Wira Abdul Halim today granted the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) application to remand the two for five days.

Their remand came in the wake of the arrest two former heads of municipal councils and a contractor earlier.

An MACC source said the two were detained at the MACC headquarters here at 9 pm and 10 pm yesterday when they turned up to give their statements.

He said they were believed to have collaborated with a company that is part of a syndicate which has monopolised government projects worth tens of millions of ringgit in at least four districts in Selangor since 2012.

"In a four-year period in just one district, the contractor concerned had obtained various projects worth about RM20 million. It is learnt that about 70 companies were used to monopolise these projects, including some 16 companies belonging to their families, with the rest owned by cronies or proxies," said the source.

The source said the contractor was close to the officers involved and would sponsor their golf outings and overseas vacation for their family members.

The district officer was said to have received about RM125,000 in bribes in the form of cash, house renovations, car deposits and medical payments, the source added.

"These were rewards for helping the contractor's company to get cleaning and maintenance contracts and other works through quotation and tender in Selangor, all worth about RM3 million," he said.

The quantity surveyor is suspected to have received kickbacks comprising one per cent of the project value, RM90,000 in cash and a RM3,000 bicycle.

He said these individuals were also believed to have leaked information on tenders to the contractor for cleaning and maintenance works in another district in Selangor.

-- BERNAMA