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Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad has expressed his willingness to cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if required to provide testimony in a fraud case concerning the status of over 600 hectares of Malay reserve land in 2012.
Saarani stated that he has not yet been contacted by the MACC regarding this issue. "I haven't received any call yet... but there's no problem in cooperating. I will comply. If the MACC calls us to testify, we will testify because I was part of the state government's Exco throughout that period," he said. Saarani explained that he served on the state Exco from 2004 to 2008 and again from 2009 to 2018. He assured that if the fraud occurred during his tenure, he is prepared to assist the MACC.
This statement was made following the debate on the Second Year Progress of the Perak Sejahtera 2030 blueprint. When questioned about the current status of the land issue, Saarani clarified that the land remains classified as Malay Reserve, although it is currently owned by a non-Malay company. He noted that efforts are being made to increase the number of Malay reserves, despite the disputed land's status.
Saarani's past roles in the Perak government included Chairman of the Rural Development and Plantation Committee, Chairman of the Committee on Information and Human Capital Development, and Chairman of the Committee on Rural Development, Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives, and Consumer Affairs.
The case has garnered attention following MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki's announcement that more witnesses, including former state Exco members and Perak PTG officers, might be called to testify. This follows the April 30, 2024, court appearance of a former deputy Registrar of Titles of PTG Perak, who faced charges of deceiving the Perak Agricultural Land Board about the status of land parcels in Sitiawan, Manjung. Additionally, on May 28, a real estate company's managing director was arrested by the MACC and remanded for three days before being released on May 30.
The investigation continues as the MACC seeks to uncover the full extent of the fraud involving the substantial tract of Malay reserve land. Saarani's readiness to cooperate underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in resolving this matter.
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