Ipoh: A senior Royal Malaysian Navy officer and a company director have been remanded for seven days till Jan 29 over suspected involvement in corruption relating to the appointment of crony companies.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the senior officer was suspected of recommending and appointing a crony company to obtain work at his workplace, while the company director is suspected of being an accomplice. Both suspects, in their 40s to 50s, were arrested after they provided their statements at the Ipoh MACC office in Perak. Remand orders for both were issued by Magistrate A Hafiizh Abu Bakar after the MACC submitted applications at the Ipoh High Court.

The source indicated that both suspects are believed to have colluded in these activities from 2017 to 2020. Preliminary investigations suggest that the senior Navy officer is suspected to own property exceeding the total emoluments received, including about eight assets registered under their name. These assets consist of three houses, three shoplots, and two hotels. Additionally, there have been deposits from suspicious sources totaling about RM2 million into the officer's personal accounts and two accounts owned by the hotel companies.

Meanwhile, MACC Intelligence Division senior director Datuk Saiful Ezral Arifin confirmed the remand of both suspects, stating that the case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(b) of the MACC Act 2009.