Parti Warisan Sabah vice president Datuk Peter Anthony was detained yesterday by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) to facilitate investigation into the purchase of an oil palm plantation worth about RM155 million in the Tongod district involving Risda.

Dressed in light blue pink shirt and dark trousers, Anthony was escorted out of the MACC office at the Federal Administration Complex, here into a waiting car at about 1.20pm.

When asked by reporters where would he be taken to, Anthony, who was also handcuffed, smiled and said “balik ke rumah” (going home).

Asked why he was being taken home, he jokingly said “cari harta karun” (looking for valuables).

Anthony, accompanied by his lawyer Martin Tommy, had earlier presented himself at the MACC office at 10.20am, ahead of his scheduled plan to surrender himself at 2.30pm.

The Warisan vice president, who is a key ally of Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, has been under probe in connection with investigations into alleged siphoning of funds for Sabah rural projects that were channelled through the Rural and Regional Development Ministry when it was headed by Shafie as minister between 2010 and 2016.

Then on Jan 3, MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki said that Anthony and a lawyer Michael Persius Ubu, 61, were needed to assist in its investigation into a land deal that was not related to previous cases being investigated.

Michael has not presented himself to the commissioner as he is believed to be overseas.

It is believed that the aborted Tongod land deal was investigated by police a few years ago and Anthony was cleared by the police then.

It is also learned that Risda, under Rural and Regional Development Ministry, had appointed a legal firm in the purchase of land in Tongod but had to abandon it as it involved native customary land.

However, Risda is said to be unable to get back a 10 per cent deposit or some RM15 million from the legal firm.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Elton Gomes

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