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MACC summons 24 individuals in 'Ops Caviar' crackdown
Published:  Jan 28, 2017 9:49 AM
Updated: 1:04 PM

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has summoned 24 individuals in connection with a RM47.6 million sturgeon farm project in Pahang.

Sinar Harian quoted MACC investigations director Simi Abdul Ghani who said all 24 were summoned to record their statements in relation to the case.

Asked whether more would be called following the arrests of four Felda top officials on Tuesday, Simi also did not dismiss the possibility.

"Yes... we are in the process of investigations and we do not dismiss the possibility of calling up a few (other) individuals," he said.

Sinar Harian had previously reported that MACC did not dismiss the possibility that investigations would be carried out against several high-profile individuals.

The Putrajaya Magistrate's Court had on Wednesday granted a seven-day remand order against the suspects.

They include a 57-year-old 'Datuk', a 53-year-old former deputy director at Felda, a 30-year-old former operations officer for the sturgeon project, a 33-year-old administrative officer and a 38-year-old who is involved at Felda's property division.

They were accused of having abused their position to approve a technology transfer deal involved in the sturgeon rearing project since 2014, without the approval of the Felda board of directors, for personal benefit.

According to the MACC, a suspect had set up Felda Carviative Sdn Bhd (FCSB) in January 2014 and signed a technology transfer deal on sturgeon farming worth RM47.6 million with a South Korean firm without knowledge of the board and Felda's legal and financial division.

The project allegedly had not received approval from the Pahang Department of Environment when the deal was signed while payments to the Korean firm had started a week after FCSB was formed.

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