THE Putrajaya Magistrates’ Court today freed a consultant who was remanded since Wednesday to assist  the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) probe into a road and undersea tunnel project in Penang.

Magistrate Nik Muhammad Azrin Hafiz Nik Mahmood ordered that the 50-year-old woman be released on bail of RM208,000 with one surety.

The woman, who is a senior consultant of a company responsible for the undersea tunnel project was arrested on January 23 when giving a statement at the MACC’s Penang office here and remanded for five days from January 24.

The media had quoted MACC sources as saying the woman was believed to be involved in the preparation of  documents for making fraudulent claims for the feasibility study of three main roads and an undersea tunnel in Penang worth about RM305 million to the state government.

She was among four individuals detained by the MACC so far to facilitate investigations into the case under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Azam Baki on Monday reported that the MACC had recorded statements from 76 witnesses.

The project  for the 7.2km undersea tunnel connecting Gurney Drive in Penang island and Bagan Ajam on the mainland and three paired roads, were awarded to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, which comprises a number of companies.

Before this, the project was bugged by various controversies such as the excessive cost of its feasibility studies as well as payment methods involving the exchange of state government land, besides objections from residents who were worried about its economic, social and environmental impact. – Bernama, January 28, 2018.