MOHD Shafie Apdal has been detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, confirmed deputy commissioner Azam Baki.

The Parti Warisan Sabah president was detained around 9pm today, just hours before his 60th birthday.

Party deputy president Darell Leiking appealed to a crowd of almost 100 people, who were waiting in front of the MACC office in Jalan Sulaman in Kota Kinabalu, where Shafie had been questioned, to remain calm.

“Shafie has told me to advise all of us who have been waiting here to remain calm and head home.

“We will wait until tomorrow, when MACC applies for his remand. As of now, I am not certain, but the lawyers will be in court early in the morning,” he told the crowd, which had gathered since 5pm.

Leiking also reminded those present about Shafie’s birthday tomorrow.

In confirming the arrest, Azam said, in the MACC WhatsApp group, that the commission would apply for Shafie’s remand after Friday prayers.

Leiking said it was understood that Shafie would be brought to Kepayan Prison tonight.

Shafie was detained in connection with the alleged embezzlement of RM1.5 billion in federal funds meant for rural projects in Sabah between 2009 and 2015.

He was rural and regional development minister at the time, and the funds had been channelled through his ministry for the projects.

Shafie arrived at the MACC office at 5.20pm. He entered the office accompanied by his wife and son, as well as several Warisan leaders, namely Leiking, Youth chief Azis Jamman and secretary-general Loretto Padua Jr, and the party’s legal adviser, Norazmi Alimat.

Shafie was questioned for about four hours.

The crowd that had waited outside the office became incensed at one point by the long wait, and several people began standing in front of the office’s glass doors.

Azis could be seen on the other side, signalling for them to remain calm.

Warisan vice-president Peter Anthony was among the crowd.

Two of Shafie’s brothers – Hamid and Yusof – were earlier remanded by the anti-graft agency over the same case.

The commission is investigating some 350 rural projects involving water and electricity supply, as well as roads, that had been awarded by the ministry to some 60 companies between 2009 and 2015.

MACC has questioned 45 people in the course of its probe.

Those who were detained are Anthony, Azis, Tenom Umno Youth chief Jamawi Jaafar, Tawau Umno Youth chief Ariffin Kassim, a senior Rural and Regional Development Ministry officer, a 54-year-old businessman, Shafie’s two brothers and Hamid’s 33-year-old businessman son-in-law, Manzur Hussein Awal Khan. – October 19, 2017.