SNAPSHOT | MACC probes transfer of elephants; Amanah leader defends federal spending in Johor

KINI SNAPSHOT | What’s going on in the news today, with updates at 9am, 2pm, 6pm and 9pm.

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2pm

Corruption

• The MACC said it has opened an investigation into the transfer of three Asian elephants - Dara, Amoi and Kelat - from the Taiping Zoo to Tennoji Zoo in Japan.

  The investigation is focusing on the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), and the agent involved in arranging the transfer, it said in a statement today.

  

  The anti-graft agency said the probe followed calls by a wildlife rights group on June 18, which urged it to investigate the transfer.

  The group had alleged that certain payments linked to the transaction were not channelled to the government and implicated several individuals in transactions estimated to be worth RM53 million.

  As a result, MACC said it is investigating the alleged leakages and examining whether there were any elements of corruption, misappropriation, or abuse of power in relation to the transfer.

READ MORE: Nik Nazmi denies involvement in elephants' transfer, welcomes probe

State allocations

• Amanah Youth vice-chief Ammar Atan has rejected claims that Putrajaya had only returned between RM2 billion and RM3 billion to Johor, saying such assertions do not reflect the actual situation.

  He pointed to the state's position as Malaysia’s second-largest exporter in 2025 and its record achievement as the country’s biggest recipient of approved investments that year.

  

  Ammar said the federal government has continued to fund major infrastructure and public development projects in Johor, including schools, hospitals, roads, and basic amenities. He noted that Putrajaya fully finances the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link and the Gemas-Johor Bahru Electrified Double Track railway.

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  READ MORE: Johor facing federal revenue drain, not leakages - regent

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  Last week, during a Pakatan Harapan ceramah in Johor, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim remarked that the state was rich, but there were many leakages due to corruption.

  However, Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim countered that the problem stems from Putrajaya returning only a small share of federal revenue to the state.

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