KUALA LUMPUR: The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) will hold a board meeting on Friday after the chief executive officer of a federal statutory body was detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on suspicion of accepting bribes linked to a contract to construct a squash court.
It is understood SRAM has instructed its senior officials to refrain from commenting publicly until after the management committee meeting. Its president, Gerard Monteiro, declined to elaborate on the matter.
“I can’t say anything now. I will issue a statement on Friday after speaking to the management committee,” he said.
Sources said SRAM is holding the meeting as a precautionary measure amid concerns of being linked to the incident.
The chief executive officer, in his 40s, was detained last night at a shopping mall in Bukit Jalil. The MACC is expected to seek a remand order today as it works to uncover the full extent of the relationship between the statutory body and the contractor.
Since the news broke, industry players and observers have been attempting to establish the identity of the high-ranking official and the contractor involved in the deal.
According to national news agency Bernama, the chief executive allegedly demanded a seven-figure sum in exchange for approving payment claims.
It is understood that a suspected RM500,000 “advance” was paid before the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations, with the arrest triggered when the suspect allegedly received a further RM100,000 in cash.
