THERE is no new development in the Defence Ministry’s land swap deal that allegedly involved corrupt practices under the previous Barisan Nasional administration.

Deputy defence minister Liew Chin Tong said the matter is currently under the purview of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and the ministry has submitted its report to the anti-graft body.

“We have left it to them… it is (now) being investigated by MACC,” he said, adding that it is best to seek an explanation from the anti-graft body.

“(As of now) there is no development. The ministry’s findings are on its website, the 500-page report can be found on the Parliament’s and our website,” Liew told reporters at the Architecture Festival in Kuala Lumpur today.

He said the ministry has submitted its findings to the MACC because it does not have the power to investigate.

“It depends on the MACC, Mindef has already done its investigation along with the committee headed by Ambrin Buang… the findings have been submitted to Parliament, the MACC and the public.”

MACC chief Latheefa Koya on November 5 said the agency was investigating 16 Defence Ministry land swap deals that took place over the last 25 years.

It was also investigating the non-delivery of six helicopters worth RM300 million.

She had said the land deals were “complex”, involving multiple defence ministers and civil servants.

She had added the probe would take a while given the number of cases and the difficulties MACC would likely encounter when gathering evidence.

“It is not as simple as just handing us an audit report.

On May 17, the ministry handed over 14 reports on the land swaps to MACC, after having submitted two reports earlier.

The reports contain the findings of the Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigating Committee’s probe into the 16 deals, involving 1,183ha of land belonging to the ministry.

Former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and former defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein were among those summoned to have their statements recorded. – February 16, 2020.