IPOH: More people, including officials from Human Resources Ministry, are expected to be called by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in relation to its probe on alleged misappropriation of RM40 million from the Skills Development Fund Corporation (SDFC).
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said the commission was scrutinising statements recorded so far and would call up more people, should the need arise.
“We are looking at documents (on) the approvals by the relevant officers. We opened the investigation paper based on the intelligence gathered and public tip-off,” he told reporters after the launch of an Anti-Corruption Tour at the state MACC headquarters.
Dzulkifli said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot was called to have his statement recorded in MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.
“We called the minister to record his statement and not for remand. We will call him again, and other witnesses, if there is a need, to assist with the investigation,” he said.
Five people, including Riot’s political secretary, had been remanded to assist in the investigation.
Initial investigations revealed misappropriation of RM15 million from SDFC last year and RM25 million this year.
SDFC was established in 2006 to manage the Skills Development Fund, which was previously managed by the Skills Development Fund Division under the ministry.
On a separate matter, Dzulkifli said remarks by DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang against him were uncalled for.
“I want Malaysians to judge for themselves on the uncivilised actions of this leader. We, Malaysians, are courteous people and his choice of words do not reflect that,” he said.
Lim had recently said Dzulkifli should not act like the “three traditional monkeys” when criticising MACC over its probe into allegations of mishandling of funds at 1Malaysia Development Bhd.