KUALA LUMPUR: It was another blow for former Prasarana Berhad chairman and Pasir Salak MP, Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman when he was detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for alleged abuse of power.
Sources told local online portals that the 73-year-old was allegedly detained at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya, while being questioned by investigators.
He is said to have been detained to facilitate investigations under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009, for using his office or position for gratification but was released on conditional bail the same evening.
The Pasir Salak MP has been widely criticised for his unprofessional and seemingly insensitive manner in fielding reporters' questions on Monday's LRT crash that left 213 injured near the KLCC station.
He again came under fire for allegedly failing to observe the standard operating procedures under the Movement Control Order 3.0, by not wearing a face mask during his visit to the crash site, and later at the Prasarana press conference.
An online petition calling for his resignation was initiated the same day gaining more than 50,000 signatures from netizens who blamed him for being incompetent as the Prasarana chairman.
It is learnt that the petition played an important role in the Ministry of Finance's decision to terminate Tajuddin's chairmanship at Prasarana with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Unfortunately, Tajuddin's troubles did not end there and he now faces investigations over alleged SOP breache and is expected to be charged over two abuse of power for gratification claims soon.