THE Putrajaya magistrates’ court today released the chairman of an engineering consultancy firm who was remanded since Thursday to assist the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in its probe into a three-highway and undersea tunnel project in Penang.

Magistrate Khir Niam Zemari ordered the 62-year-old man, who is a ‘Datuk Seri’, to be released on bail of RM58,000 with one surety.

The man, believed to have had a hand in preparing documents for fraudulent claims involving more than RM305 million to the Penang government purportedly for feasibility studies on the project was detained on January 24 when he came to MACC’s Penang office here to give a statement, and remanded for five days from January 25.

It is understood that the suspect’s Kuala Lumpur-based engineering firm was once involved in various mega projects, including the construction of a bridge in Penang, a bus terminal in the federal capital and the upgrading of a state airport.

The man was among four individuals remanded by the MACC so far, to facilitate investigations into the project under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009.

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

The 7.2km undersea tunnel project 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 several 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 29, 2018.