The MACC has arrested five people, including two senior Biro Tatanegara (BTN) officials, on suspicion of making RM600,000 in false claims.

The three men and two women aged between 34 and 55 were arrested at about 4.30pm when they came to the Sarawak MACC office to have their statements recorded today.

Three of them had previously served with Sarawak BTN but had since been either transferred or retired.

A source said they are suspected of colluding with 43 companies in Sarawak to provide documents containing false details to make work claims.

The claims for each work are said to amount between RM2,000 and RM6,000.

The source added that payments were made to several accounts belonging to the company owners in 2016, and each of the five suspects had profited from the companies that they chose.

“Investigations have also found that about 70 percent of services and supplies provided by the companies involved to BTN does not exist or were not executed,” the source said.

It is understood that the five suspects also had control over BTN’s accounts and had used the money for personal benefits.

Sarawak MACC director Razim Mohd Noor confirmed the arrests when contacted and said Sarawak MACC is now in the process of obtaining documents related to the payments.

He said the five suspects were arrested to assist preliminary investigations under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009.

The five are expected to be remanded at the Kuching Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.