KUALA LUMPUR (March 17): The businessman known as "Datuk Roy" continues to be remanded to assist the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) investigations relating to the Jana Wibawa programme.
"Datuk Roy" was brought to the Putrajaya court, where magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin allowed the MACC's application to extend his remand by four days until next Monday (March 20).
Lawyer Fahmi Abd Moin confirmed the matter with The Edge when contacted.
He added that the MACC had applied for the remand to be extended for seven days, but he had objected to this, as his client would cooperate fully with the authorities in their investigations.
The 54 year-old was remanded for three days on Tuesday to assist in the investigations, and was released on Thursday.
Fahmi explained that his client was rearrested by MACC Putrajaya for another related case on Thursday, hence the remand application on Friday.
On Monday, the businessman was arrested after surrendering himself to the authorities earlier. The MACC previously issued a notice seeking information on him.
Introduced in 2020 by then Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Jana Wibawa programme was a scheme to assist Bumiputera contractors after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Investigations into the programme have led to the charging of some Bersatu leaders in recent weeks, including Muhyiddin himself, Tasek Gelugor Member of Parliament Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, and Bersatu deputy division chief for Segambut Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad.
Earlier this month, the MACC reportedly arrested four people — including an MACC officer and a woman — who were alleged to have solicited and accepted a bribe of RM400,000 to prevent an investigation into the programme.