KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — A marketing executive of a company offered a paddy fertiliser procurement project has been remanded for four days starting today to help in investigations into alleged irregularities in the contract award.

The remand application was submitted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court this morning and was approved by Magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin.

According to sources, the male suspect, in his 30s, was detained to assist in investigations while giving his statement at the MACC headquarters late yesterday evening.

Initial investigations revealed that the company has been dormant in Malaysia for the past eight years.

"However, its parent company is based in Singapore. The company is said to have received a fertiliser supply contract involving 15,000 tonnes, or approximately RM60 million, in 2022.

"The contract award is highly suspicious as it is believed to have been issued by a directive from the highest level of the organisation without Board approval and granted through direct negotiation on the grounds of emergency purchase," a source told Bernama.

Yesterday, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki confirmed that the MACC had begun investigations into the misappropriation and leakage of the paddy fertiliser supply project by one of the organisations under the ministry involved.

He said the case is being investigated under Sections 16, 18 and 23 of the MACC Act 2009. — Bernama