MACC probing possible abuse of power in contract for ex-PM’s son-in-law
Muhyiddin’s son-in-law, Adlan Berhan, was named in media reports in 2020 as being linked and possibly a key player in the contract for the NIISe.
(FMT) – The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating the award of a lucrative contract to the son-in-law of a former prime minister, a source has confirmed.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the anti-graft agency’s probe centred around possible abuse of power in connection with the National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe).
“MACC is looking at how the contract was given and the company’s links to those who were in power at the time,” the source said.
New evidence related to the case has surfaced, including that the project was now classified as a “sick project” as very little progress has been made, the source added.
“MACC may call in senior members of a previous administration as part of its probe.”
Previously, Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi tried to suggest Muhyiddin Yassin’s son-in-law might be the unnamed relative mentioned by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim when talking about cronies and relatives being awarded lucrative contracts.
Anwar had said he took a hard position against those who criticised the appointment of his daughter, Nurul Izzah, as a senior adviser on economics and finance, especially those who “awarded contracts worth billions or hundreds of millions of ringgit to their sons, sons-in-law or cronies when they were in power”.
Muhyiddin’s son-in-law, Adlan Berhan, was named in media reports in 2020 as being linked and possibly a key player in the contract for the NIISe.
Adlan was alleged to have links to one of the project’s frontrunners, security solutions provider S5 Holdings Inc, according to a report in The Vibes.
However, S5 group managing director Syed Mohammad Hafiz Jamalullail was reported by The Edge as saying in 2021 that none of his political connections, including Adlan, was involved in S5.
The system was reportedly mooted by Muhyiddin when he was the home minister in the 2018-2020 Pakatan Harapan government, after the Sistem Kawalan Imigresen Nasional was cancelled by him because of high costs.
Estimates put NIISe’s cost at about RM1.2 billion, about 66% less than the RM3.5 billion cost of the former project.
