A government department engineer who was detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to facilitate investigations into allegations of irregularities on an infrastructure project worth RM3.3 billion, has been released on RM200,000 bail in two sureties.

Magistrate Faelly Jeffrey Lanjugan made the decision to release the 59-year-old after hearing an application by MACC at the Sandakan Magistrate's Court today.

The engineer was one of 19 senior officers of the government department in Sabah nabbed by the MACC on Oct 19, via an operation in all districts of the state.

On Oct 4, MACC launched Ops Water II and nabbed four senior officers of the government department here, including its director and deputy director to facilitate investigations into alleged misappropriation of the funds concerned.

Following that, four suspects were detained and the MACC also seized RM114 million, apart from 127 land grants and jewellery.

However, the four suspects were released on bail ranging from RM50,000 to RM500,000 in two sureties.

Ops Water II was launched after MACC suspected many more officers of the department were involved in the scam.

- Bernama