Fund misappropriation: Sabah political party leader released on MACC bail

A Sabah political party leader who was remanded to facilitate investigations into the misappropriation of rural infrastructure development funds in Sabah involving RM180 million was released today.

The 46-year-old man was released on Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) bail of RM50,000 with two sureties before Magistrate Cindy Mc Juce Balitus.

The proceeding was conducted at a private hospital here and MACC was represented by prosecuting officer Mohd Faliq Basiruddin.

Earlier the man was remanded for five days since Friday and then further remanded for another three days from Tuesday before he was admitted to the KPJ Damai Hospital due to dehydration and high blood pressure.

The man is among seven individuals detained to date to help in investigations over alleged misappropriation of funds for rural projects amounting to RM180 million, said to be part of the estimated RM1.5 billion misappropriated in a ministry.

The RM1.5 billion was part of the federal government's allocation to a ministry amounting to RM7.5 billion to implement rural projects in Sabah from 2009 to 2015.

-- BERNAMA