Aide to ex-minister Xavier arrested, RM1.2 million in cash, luxury car seized
MACC also arrests two others and freezes some RM77 million in several company and personal accounts.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today arrested a PKR state leader who was the special aide to former water, land and natural resources minister Xavier Jayakumar, as it investigates bribery involving millions of ringgit linked to the ministry under the Pakatan Harapan government.
MA Tinagaran, who is also the Perak PKR deputy chairman, was arrested today together with two company directors in the MACC operation in Ipoh.
The anti-graft body also confiscated cash worth RM1.2 million from a house as well as the office of a proxy.
The water, land and natural resources ministry headed by Xavier was later renamed as the energy and natural resources ministry.
Meanwhile, a source told MalaysiaNow that individual and company bank accounts worth RM77 million had been frozen.
It is understood that the luxury car which was seized was used by Xavier as his official car when he was the minister.
MalaysiaNow understands from sources close to the investigation that the corruption was linked to the award of sand mining projects, which was under Xavier’s jurisdiction.
Xavier – who is also the PKR vice-president – and Tinagaran were among 12 individuals who were conferred the Datuk title by the Kelantan palace in 2019.
Subscribe to our newsletter
To be updated with all the latest news and analyses daily.
