KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) dismissed claims of a news portal report about the recent arrest of five members of the Perlis State Legislative Assembly.

MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki when contacted said the arrest report linked to the investigation on the abuse of power and corruption involving the son of the Perlis menteri besar was untrue.

"That (allegation) is not true... it’s just a rumour,” he said.

Yesterday, a news portal reported that a senior political leader in the state claimed five Perlis assemblymen would be arrested by the MACC in the near future.

Citing the report, this follows the arrest of the Perlis menteri besar’s son who was detained by the commission at the end of April for allegedly making false claims for work that was not carried out amounting to RM600,000.

Meanwhile, Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli said he was open to the MACC conducting an investigation if there was a need.

"It’s just rumours, we are open, if there is anything, let’s investigate, but I don’t think it is...as far as I know the five people (assemblymen) are not arrested,” he told reporters after chairing the Exco Meeting at the State Legislative Assembly Complex here today.

Mohd Shukri said the state government plans to place an MACC officer in the state administration office which will be studied together with the State Secretary as well as the State Legal Adviser and State Finance Officer.

"Because the MACC officer is only on loan to the state, the salary must be borne by the state, the terms and conditions are already there, just the requirements in the state, we will discuss more thoroughly before we decide,” he said.

It is understood that the MACC is completing investigation papers related to the case of Perlis menteri besar’s son along with several other individuals who were allegedly involved in submitting documents and false claims worth RM600,000 over the past two years and the investigation is expected to be completed next week. — Bernama