Police have questioned the finance manager of Malaysia's Technology Resources Industries Bhd (TRI) about allegations of fake invoices worth more than RM250 million, a spokesperson said today.

"Yes, officials of the commercial crime (division) quizzed the finance manager. More people may be interviewed depending on the investigation," the officer told AFP .

In a statement to the stock exchange last Thursday, TRI chairperson Mohamad Munir Abdul Majid said fake invoices issued in 1998 and 1999 were found by the company's new directors and reported to the police.

Munir said the fake invoices — worth RM259.32 million — would have an impact on the finances of the company, which owns the country's second-largest mobile-phone operator Celcom (Malaysia) Bhd.

State-owned Telekom Malaysia Bhd in May took a controlling 31.25 percent interest in TRI, which was then controlled by Tajudin Ramli.

After the departure of Tajudin and three other directors, the new board of Telekom commissioned a series of audits expected to be completed by the end of September.

Tajudin lost control of TRI after he failed to repay RM1.4 billion in personal loans that was partly secured by his 13.2 percent interest in TRI. — AFP