PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Thursday obtained a five-day remand order against a Datuk Seri as part of an investigation into the Penang undersea tunnel project.
The remand order against the 62-year-old man, effective until Jan 29, was issued by magistrate Fatina Amyra Abd Jalil.
Handcuffed and clad in orange MACC lock-up attire, the Datuk Seri arrived at the magistrate's court here at 9.35am.
It was reported that the man, who is the chairman of an engineering consulting company involved in project studies, was arrested at the MACC’s headquarters in Putrajaya at 2.44pm on Wednesday.
The suspect, who is the fourth individual to be detained as part of the probe, is believed to have been involved in the preparation of false claims for the feasibility studies, at a cost of RM305 million, submitted to the Penang state government.
On Tuesday, a 50-year-old engineering consultant was arrested at the MACC headquarters at 6.30pm. The woman is believed to be a senior consultant at a company responsible for the project.
Two company officials with the title Datuk were also detained on Jan 9, and later released on bail.
MACC officers have so far recorded statements from 76 people in the course of their investigations.
The 7.2km undersea tunnel is part of a RM6.3 billion project undertaken by Consortium Zenith which also includes three paired roads.
The tunnel project has raised controversy in recent months, especially on the high cost of the RM305 million feasibility studies, as well as the 21-month delay in construction.