MACC goes to HRD Corp office in Damansara Heights after collecting papers from HR Ministry in Putrajaya in alleged fund misuse probe

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — A team of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers inspected the Human Resources Development Berhad (HRD Corp) office in Damansara Heights here this afternoon as part of its investigation into allegations of misuse of funds meant for worker training and reskilling.

The commission was reported to have visited the Human Resources Ministry in Putrajaya this morning and collected some documents for further scrutiny following revelations of irregularities highlighted in last week’s release of the Auditor-General’s Report 2/2024.

“To date, no individuals have been summoned for statements,” MACC’s head of investigations Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hashim said in a statement after the visit to both offices.

He said the MACC’s investigation is focused on issues of corruption, abuse of power, and misappropriation of funds but did not rule out the possibility of summoning witnesses in the near future after the document review is completed.

He did not disclose the identities of these potential witnesses.

Several news agencies reported the MACC visiting the HR Ministry at 11.20am today to obtain documents for the investigation.

Malay daily Utusan Malaysia quoted an anonymous source saying the team had gone up to the ministry’s 7th floor, which houses its Regulatory and Enforcement Unit, and would return in the afternoon for another round of document collection.

Last week, the MACC said it has formed a special investigation team to scrutinise the documents provided by the ministry regarding issues involving the HRD Corp.

It also said that several individuals have been identified to provide statements to assist the investigation, which will be conducted under the MACC Act 2009, particularly under Sections 18 and 23.

Previously, the MACC had confirmed receiving information and several documents on HRD Corp related to the Auditor-General’s Report from the HR Ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud.

Following this, MACC said it is examining the entire set of documents to determine whether there are any elements of corruption, misappropriation, or abuse of power under the MACC Act 2009.