MACC: Selangor lost millions from illegal sand and gravel mining

(Bernama) – The Selangor state government is believed to have suffered millions of ringgit in losses each year due to illegal sand and gravel mining activities by a mining company in Kajang since 2014.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) sources said the agency was in the midst of investigating the case, and had so far found that the mining company did not have any permit, but had been raking in profits from the activities using tens of lorries on a daily basis.

“The MACC is now assessing the losses in terms of revenue failed to be collected by the state government and how the company managed to continue operating without being detected by the state government or local authorities,” the sources told Bernama.

Initial investigations also found that the company director, who is a millionaire, was the mastermind of the illegal mining activities.

“The company director also owns the entire mining area and efforts are being made to prosecute him,” the sources said.

When contacted, MACC’s senior director of the investigation division, Simi Abdul Ghani, confirmed the investigation into the mining company and its operations.

He said four individuals had been detained and remanded for seven days beginning yesterday to assist in the investigation.

Yesterday, MACC also froze several of the company’s bank accounts which had a total of RM4 million, believed to be part of the profits from the illegal mining activities.