Sabah govt to review procedures after falsified CPO sales tax declarations case

KOTA KINABALU – Sabah’s Finance Ministry will be reviewing its procedures to stem graft activities after three government officials were arrested this week for taking bribes totalling RM700,000.

State secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong said in a statement yesterday that he was taking the matter seriously and instructed Sabah’s Finance Ministry to review and improve all systems and procedures to avoid corrupt practices.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had arrested the trio for allegedly harbouring the falsification of crude palm oil sales tax declarations every month to the Sabah Finance Ministry.

The three individuals – one of them professing to be a “Datuk” – are being investigated under Section 17 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.

Sabah MACC director Datuk S. Karunanithy said the arrest of the “Datuk” followed the arrest of a senior government official and a retiree on May 18 for investigation in the same case under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act 2009.

The court allowed a seven-day remand for the two individuals from May 19 to 25. – The Vibes, May 21, 2022