MACC to summon witnesses over FIC Kuching hotel purchase investigation

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 7): Key witnesses will be summoned to help in the probe into Felda Investment Corporation’s (FIC) purchase of a posh hotel in Kuching, Sarawak, the New Straits Times reported today.

According to Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Zulkifli Ahmad, the questioning will start from today until end of this week.

“We are currently completing the investigation paper on FIC, namely the hotel purchase in Sarawak as it only involves documents and witnesses in the country… We will update who will be called… it starts today and will continue until end of the week,” he told The New Straits Times.

On Saturday, a former special officer to a former Felda chairman had his remand extended for another three days to assist investigations into FIC’s purchase of the Kuching hotel 2014.

It is alleged that the Kuching hotel had been bought at a price significantly higher than its actual market price, resulting in millions of ringgit in losses to FIC.

According to a source, the probe into the Sarawak hotel's purchase began as the anti-graft body was investigating FIC's purchase of a four-star hotel in Kensington, London, between 2013 and 2015.

A number of arrests have been made as MACC investigates the two hotel deals.

The anti-graft body has also made a number of visits to the FIC’s office over the last two weeks.