PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) may call up former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the course of investigations into swap deals involving land belonging to the Defence Ministry.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said, however, the commission would have to continue investigating and gathering evidence and statements first before determining if Najib would have to be called in to give his statement.
“We are not denying that he will be called up as he may be involved in the case. But for now, we will gather all evidence first and record other statements. Only then will we call him (Najib), when the time is right,” he told reporters.
Azam also said former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had already given his statement to the graft busters yesterday on the same matter.
“And on Sunday, former defence minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was asked to be present at MACC headquarters to have his statements recorded on the same case,” he added.
It was previously reported that losses of more than RM500 million were incurred from 13 of 16 land swap deals carried out under the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
In revealing this, current Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu had said his immediate predecessor Hishammuddin and Najib should be held responsible.
Meanwhile, Azam said two persons had been remanded for six days to assist investigations into the purchase of six helicopters worth more than RM300 million in 2015 which had yet to be received by the armed forces.
“We have arrested two individuals from the companies involved in the project and they have been in remand for three days now,” he said.
It was reported that two of the McDonnell Douglas MD530G light combat helicopters were supposed to have arrived in July 2017 and the remainder in December last year.
It was also reported that the terms of the purchase agreement did not safeguard the interests of the government.