FORMER deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein will be called up by the anti-graft authorities next month over land swap deals that caused the Defence Ministry to lose millions.

Other individuals, including special officers who served under the two Umno politicians, will also be called, said sources from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

“Before Zahid and HIshammuddin are called in, we will record the statements of other individuals after Hari Raya,” said the source.

Zahid and Hishammuddin were defence ministers when some of the land swap deals were approved under the Barisan Nasional administration.

There are 16 deals in question, which underwent a special audit by the Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigating Committee after Pakatan Harapan formed the federal government last year.

Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu tabled the audit report in the Dewan Negara earlier this month, revealing that these deals had cost the government to lose more than RM500 million.

Under the land swap model, the ministry exchanges land it owns with private developers for construction of buildings.

Although the MACC source did not specify what Zahid and Hishammuddin would be questioned about, both of them were lawmakers in constituencies where military camps were built as part of land swap deals, purportedly to shore up support for themselves in the 14th general election by shifting military voters to those areas.

Zahid is Bagan Datuk MP, where the Hutan Melintang camp has been partially built, while Hishammuddin is Sembrong MP, where the Paloh camp was approved.

The 16 deals involve government land of 1,182ha. – May 30, 2019.