MACC ready to meet RPK over LCS claim involving Zahid

(FMT) – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is ready to meet blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin over his allegation that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi received kickbacks amounting to S$20 million (about RM67 million) connected to the troubled littoral combat ship (LCS) project.

MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki told FMT the agency would let Raja Petra, also known as RPK, propose a location for their meeting as suggested by the blogger in a video posted on his website yesterday.

“We are ready to meet him. He can pick a location to meet my officers to allow us to obtain further information from him regarding the allegation,” Azam said.

Raja Petra had alleged that the former deputy prime minister received the money in eight staggered payments between 2012 and 2013.

He claimed the transactions were facilitated through money changers in Singapore and Malaysia.

FMT has reached out to Zahid for comment.

Raja Petra also claimed to have documents and evidence linking Zahid to the scandal.

In the video, the blogger extended an invitation to MACC to go to the UK, where he is believed to be based, to meet him so that he could hand over the documents.

The LCS project came under parliamentary scrutiny over the non-delivery of six ships contracted for by the defence ministry.

In its report, the Public Accounts Committee noted that not a single ship had been completed to date despite the government having paid RM6.08 billion.

The contract to acquire the ships was awarded to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) through direct negotiations in 2011.

In August, former BNS managing director Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor was charged with criminal breach of trust involving RM21.08 million.

Ramli was also the chairman of the LCS Steering Committee.