Pause
3:55
/
4:33
Fullscreen
Share
KUALA LUMPUR: A Youth and Sports Ministry senior official facing allegations of corruption has been transferred out of the ministry.
Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said he had on Monday spoken to Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa and was told that he could apply for the officer to be transferred out.
“Following that, I asked my secretary-general to write to the Public Service Department for him to be issued with an interdiction order under Regulation 43.
“Technically, he is still a civil servant; he is just not with my ministry any longer,” he said after an Umno Youth meeting here yesterday.
Khairy did not provide further details about the official’s transfer.
Regulation 43 addresses interdiction for the purpose of an investigation, where a head of department may recommend to the disciplinary authority to interdict an officer who is alleged or reasonably suspected to be involved in a criminal offence.
Khairy said an independent task force had also been set up to investigate the matter, alongside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“The Chief Secretary wants the findings within a month.
“I will raise the issue in the Cabinet meeting this Friday. I have already told the Prime Minister about this and he wants this resolved soonest,” he said.
Asked about limiting the tenure of officers in high-ranking positions, Khairy agreed that a cap should be imposed.
“Perhaps up to two or three years, especially for those in sensitive departments like finance, procurement and development,” he said.
On the senior officer, Khairy said he had been with the ministry’s finance department since 1998.
“What was alleged in the media about his lifestyle was not apparent in the office.
“As for the allegations, I am the current minister and therefore responsible to answer,” he added.
Khairy gave the assurance that his ministry would extend its fullest cooperation to both the task force and the MACC.
“This is a big sum of money and the case has caused a lot of anger, and rightfully so.
“What happened is very regrettable, and it is my responsibility to ensure that we furnish the investigators with all the information they need,” he said.
Last Friday, the MACC arrested the ministry official, aged 56, on suspicion of embezzling RM107mil since 2010.
Eight others who were contractors from 14 companies were held on the same day. All have been remanded for a week.
The commission seized several properties, including houses, 12 luxury cars, watches, jewellery and branded handbags, and froze 69 bank accounts with total deposits of RM8.33mil, in connection with the case.
