Director and three others held for investigations into RM40m swindle from SDFC

PUTRAJAYA: Three high-ranking officials including one who is a Datuk and CEO in the Skills Development Fund Corporation (SDFC) have been remanded for six days beginning from today in relation to investigations involving alleged siphoning of RM40 million.
The remand order was issued by Magistrate Nik Isfahanie Tasnim Wan Ab Rahman after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) filed the remand application, today.
All four arrived at the Magistrate Court here for the remand proceedings at 10.35am, while handcuffed and clad in orange lock-up attire.
The group were arrested today in an operation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over the alleged siphoning of RM40 million which is being investigated under Section 17(A) of the MACC Act 2009 for bribery.
The missing funds was over 53% of the RM75 million allocated the for 2016 and this year by the government to provide financial assistance to school leavers, the unskilled and the unemployed for skills training.
Sources said the corporations chief executive officer aged 58, secretary, 34, assistant finance officer, 32 and a 38-year-old private company director with a doctorate were arrested by the federal MACC at several locations here between 4.30pm and 6pm today.
It is believed that the CEO had roped in the three other SDFC personnel who were held to swindle the RM40 million since last year.
They allegedly abused their powers by approving training programmes run by 15 companies owned by the private company director who was arrested by the commission.
The government had disbursed RM35 million last year and RM40 million this year to the SDFC for training programmes to upgrade the skills of the jobless.