An enforcement agency officer is among four people remanded for five days over allegations of submitting false documents in claims involving animal feed supply worth RM1.8 million.
Magistrate Aina Azahra Ariffin ordered the remand until 19 September at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrates’ Court on 15 September, following a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission application, The Edge Malaysia reported.
The suspects, three men and a woman aged between 40 and 60, were detained at about 9pm on 14 September after appearing at the Kuala Lumpur MACC office to give statements, a source told FMT. The other three suspects are a retired enforcement agency officer, a director, and an administrative manager of a private company.
Preliminary investigations found the four allegedly conspired to commit the offence between 2021 and 2023. All four are believed to have submitted documents containing false details in claims for animal feed supplies worth about RM1.8 million, although the actual value of the supplies was lower, the source said.
The case involves the supply of animal feed, a commodity used in livestock and poultry farming across Malaysia. False claims in government supply chains can affect food security and inflate public expenditure, particularly in the agricultural sector where feed costs represent a major portion of production expenses for farmers.
Kuala Lumpur MACC director Mohammad Zakkuan Talib confirmed the arrests when contacted, saying the case was being investigated under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009, The Edge Malaysia reported. Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 deals with the offence of using office or position for gratification, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the sum involved.
The MACC has intensified its probe into procurement fraud in recent years, targeting both public officials and private sector individuals involved in supply chain manipulation. The commission’s approach of arresting suspects after they appear voluntarily for statements is a common tactic used to prevent evidence tampering while building cases.
All four suspects remain in MACC custody as investigations continue. No charges have been filed yet, and the remand period allows the commission to complete its probe before deciding on further legal action.
