MACC has reportedly seized over RM150 million in cash in a series of raids in Sabah beginning at 10.30am yesterday.

According to a report published by The Star today, MACC raided 15 locations in the state as part of investigations into the alleged embezzlement of a ministry’s funds.

"The investigators were still compiling information to be sent to the top leadership of the MACC.

"However, it is understood that bank accounts with huge deposits, cash in various denominations and stacks of documents, including financial statements from several companies, were seized by the raiding officers.

"Several directors and staff of the companies were still being questioned yesterday," the report states.

It quoted MACC deputy chief commissioner of operations Azam Baki as saying that operations were underway, but he declined to name the ministry involved.

The report claimed that the ministry involved is the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, but minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had supposedly said that he was unaware of the investigation.

An unnamed source quoted in the report claimed that the case is separate from the earlier Sabah Water Department scandal, even though it involved the same ministry.

“Before this, a senior official from this ministry was investigated but it was over a different corruption case.

“There is no link to this one (case), but what is startling to investigators is the amount (of money) involved. It is very high,” the source was quoted as saying.

In the latest case, The Star said the culprits are believed to have siphoned off more than RM100 million meant to improve basic amenities, such as the upgrading of water and electricity supplies and maintenance of roads in rural areas.

In the previous case, three people, including former Sabah Water Department director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, were charged last year for allegedly misappropriating infrastructure funds amounting to RM61.48 million. They pleaded not guilty.

At an international conference today, MACC chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad confirmed that the graft-buster has frozen more than RM150 million in a bank account yesterday. 

"Just yesterday, we have frozen more than RM150 million in the bank account in the recent Sabah case," Dzulkifli said when attending the Ninth International Conference on Financial Crime and Terrorism Financing in Kuala Lumpur. 

"I was told another RM29 million has been frozen as of today," he said, without elaborating.

However, Dzulkifli declined to take questions related to the case from the media.