The managing director of a Bintulu-based company is among two men who have been remanded six days to assist in the investigation into misappropriation of solar hybrid project contract for 369 rural schools in Sarawak. – Bernama photo
KUCHING: Two men, a managing director and a lawyer of a Bintulu-based company have been remanded to assist investigations into misappropriation of solar hybrid project contract for 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
Bernama reported that Magistrate Shah Wira Abdul Halim issued the six-day remand from today, to help the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) with their investigation.
The 59-year-old managing director was arrested at 5.30pm yesterday while the lawyer aged 30, was detained about two hours earlier when they appeared at the MACC headquarters here, to give their statements.
The case is being investigated under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 for making false claims.
The duo arrived at the courthouse in MACC lock-up attire at 9.30am.
On June 10, Sarawak Report cited the possibility of misappropriation in the award of the RM1.25 billion solar hybrid project in Sarawak, allegedly through direct awarding of the contract under the directive of a former national leader.
The leader had also allegedly instructed the Education Ministry in January last year to appoint a rental car company in Bintulu for the project meant to supply solar energy to 369 interior schools in Sarawak.
On June 11, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the Education Ministry had begun the process of internal investigations to identify individuals involved in the issue of misappropriation in the award of contract to supply solar energy and diesel in 369 schools in Sarawak.
There are 369 schools in the state that have no fixed electricity supply and only use diesel generators to generate electricity.
Prior to 2017, diesel was supplied to schools by contractors on a contract basis.
From Jan 1, 2017, Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, which was originally one of the contractors involved, was granted the contract to supply electricity to all 369 schools for a period of three years until Dec 31, 2019 with a contract value of ‘over RM1 billion’ inclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST) .
Apart from supplying diesel to the rural schools in Sarawak, the company was also involved in the installation of solar hybrid systems and maintenance of generators in the 369 schools.