The Rural and Regional Development Ministry has passed several files to the MACC in connection to a corruption probe in Sabah involving rural projects.

Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that MACC, which is currently probing how RM1.5 billion meant for rural projects in Sabah was siphoned out, has collected documents on road and water projects from the ministry.

He also said that "some officers were called in by the MACC" when met in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ismail claimed he only came to know about the MACC probe two days ago after reading about it in the news, and that the rural development projects for Sabah were initiated before his tenure began in the ministry in 2015.

Yesterday, MACC reportedly seized more than RM150 million in cash in a series of raids in the state.

MACC deputy chief commissioner Azam Baki has said that RM1.5 billion was siphoned from a total of RM7.5 billion allocated for carrying out rural projects in the state.

It is reported that MACC is probing some 60 companies that were awarded projects for the supply of water, electricity, and construction of roads to develop rural Sabah.

Ismail Sabri's predecessor, Mohd Shafie Apdal, was reported to have stated that his conscience is clear and that all the projects were awarded via open tender.

He declined to comment on Shafie's statement, saying only that it was up to MACC to decide. 

The minister also stated that he would not know if the documents given to MACC would be damning to Shafie.

"We have all the documents concerning these contracts, but I wouldn't know if that could prove anything.

"I think the (contract awarding) system was quite perfect because we have few commissions to look into the contracts and procedures. But, anything can still happen," he noted.

He also declined to comment on whether Shafie should be held responsible for the case. 

"I reserve my comment. If I comment, you will say it is political."

He added that it was too early to make a conclusion on the exact amount of losses incurred by the ministry.