Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is sitting on proof that Johor Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin received kickbacks from property developers, said Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua.

The graft-busters have had knowledge of it for seven months, since allegations first surfaced in the statement of a witness in an MACC case against Johor exco Abdul Latif Bandi, said Pua.

“In fact, all the companies which have paid the alleged bribes must be investigated, and if guilty, charged and punished as well,” said Pua.

“After all, the MACC has often opined that the giver of bribes is as guilty as those who receive.

“The question is, is the Johor MB immune to investigation and prosecution just like Prime Minister Najib Razak in the case of the multi-billion ringgit 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) scandal?”

Latif has been charged with receiving up to RM30 million in bribes from developers in return for changing the status of Bumiputera lots to non-Bumiputera.

Real estate consultant Amir Shariffuddin Abdul Raub was charged with  Latif. Both are accused of accepting bribes to reduce a 7.5% charge levied upon developers for changing the status of the lots.

“The biggest shocker is found in the witness statement, where Amir admitted to delivering nearly RM12 million in cash to the menteri besar in return for the MB’s help in the necessary land changes,” Pua said in a statement.

Pua claimed that according to the documents, Amir had admitted to paying Khaled a total of RM9.7 million in cash in 10 transactions between 16 April 2014 and 4 May 2016.

The MACC has verified the authenticity of the witness statement, Pua said.

On November 28, MACC deputy chief commissioner Azam Baki said the statement was handed over to the defendant’s lawyer for the purpose of defence.

MACC has lodged a police report on the leaked documents that have been posted online.

On April 19, Amir, Latif and one more individual was charged at the Johor Baru Sessions court with 33 counts of bribery totalling RM30.3 million.

On June 14, the three were charged with 21 counts of breaching the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Funding Act 2001 (AMLA) for
laundering RM35.7 million.

Allegations that the corruption went all the way to the top of the Barisan Nasional state government were made on Monday in
the Johor Legislative Assembly.

State rep Wong Shu Qi (DAP-Senai) asked Khaled to respond to allegations that he received RM12 million in kickbacks in exchange for helping to change Bumiputera lots into non-Bumiputera.

Wong claimed allegations of such were on a blog that had also published what was purportedly Amir’s witness statement.

Wong was asked to leave the Johor assembly after she declined to retract her statement. – December 1, 2017.