A former chief executive officer of a Perak government-owned human capital development centre, Pusat Kerjaya Amanjaya (Peka), is in remand for seven days beginning today to facilitate investigations by MACC of alleged fraud involving RM9.18 million.

Perak MACC director Zainul Darus said the man, aged 43, was arrested in Kuala Lumpur today following raids conducted at several premises, including the Peka office, Syarikat Inovatif Sdn Bhd, Institut Darul Ridzuan and the Ipoh City Council.

He said the fraud allegations involved claims by a consultancy firm hired by Peka, totalling RM9.18 million, over a period of five years.

The amount included consultancy services totalling RM8 million, RM1.14 million in rental and payment of utility bills, claims of RM40,000 for programmes that were not carried out, Zainul told a media conference at the MACC office in Ipoh today.

He said the MACC had found several documents, including invoices and agreements in raid sand expected more raids to be conducted.

Zainul said the commission expected to call about 30 witnesses, including members of the Peka board of directors, to facilitate the investigations carried out under Section 18 of the MACC Act.

Two days ago, State Youth and Sports Development Howard Lee Chuan How urged MACC to carry out investigations into the consultancy firm after a member of Peka’s board of directors, Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin, received a court notice from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) on arrears in EPF subscriptions.

-Bernama