MACC raids Prasarana

Anti-graft officers descended on the offices of Prasarana Malaysia Bhd today, believed to be in connection with corrupt practices involving a top officer of the finance ministry-owned transportation company, MalaysiaNow can confirm.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that an investigation was launched.

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said the probe is related to several reports it received on the company.

“MACC will study this closely to carry out a fair investigation,” he told MalaysiaNow.

He did not give further details.

When contacted, Prasarana chairman Tajuddin Abdul Rahman told MalaysiaNow that he was unaware of MACC’s raid this morning. However, he said he had been contacted by the commission last week.

“They may ask whatever they want to ask,” he said, adding that he would give full cooperation to the anti-graft body.

“I have no problem. It’s their job. They are the authority, so there’s no question of resisting them. We will cooperate,” said Tajuddin.

Azam said his officers went to Prasarana this morning and seized several documents.

He added that MACC will start questioning “relevant witnesses” tomorrow.

Recent reports claimed a conflict of interest involving Tajuddin, surrounding a mixed development project with a development value of over RM1 billion.

It was reported that Tajuddin wanted to terminate the contract of two companies awarded with constructing Latitud 8, a mixed development on land owned by Prasarana.

One of the companies is controlled by his family members: his wife, a son and a daughter.

Any move to terminate the contract would mean the company being paid tens of millions of ringgit in compensation.

Construction of the project has yet to start despite wide publicity in 2016 hailing it as a transit-oriented development strategically located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.