In major anti-graft raid on Sabah, MACC freezes RM560m in 1,623 accounts
KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 ― The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today froze 1,623 bank accounts of companies and individuals involving over RM560 million in the first day of its “Operasi Bersepadu” in Sabah.
The commission’s investigation division chief Datuk Mohamad Jamidan Abdullah said the operations were launched to crack down on corruption, diesel subsidy fraud, smuggling of contraband cigarettes and alcohol in the state.
“Aside from freezing the accounts, the raids also seized jewellery worth more than RM1 million,” he said in a statement here.
The large-scale crackdown saw simultaneous raids on 43 locations in Tawau, Sandakan, Keningau, Kota Kinabalu, Labuan and Semporna suspected for illegal activities, including tax evasion.
“We believe that the crimes involved in these illegal activities have collectively cost the state and federal governments billions of ringgit in losses,” said Mohamad Jamidan.
Further investigations will be carried out under the MACC Act 2009’s Sections 17(a) and 17(b), as well as Section 4 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.
Earlier this week, the MACC along with the Sarawak state government and other agencies carried out “Ops Gergaji” to tackle bribery, illegal logging and tax evasion that also cost the government billions of ringgit in losses.
They raided 49 locations around Sarawak, freezing a total of 519 accounts of companies and individuals including a state assemblyman with a total worth of almost RM700 million.
