MACC arrests two over FIC’s London hotel purchase

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 4): More arrests have been made over Felda Investment Corp’s (FIC) purchase of a hotel in Kensington, London between 2013 and 2015.

Bernama reported that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday nabbed two persons believed to be involved in the hotel deal.

A source told Bernama that the two held were a lawyer and a female assistant. Both were allegedly involved in managing the documents of the sale and purchase (S&P) agreement between the original owner and a third company before it was sold to FIC.

"The first suspect was a 44-year-old lawyer operating in Kuala Lumpur while the 29-year-old female suspect was a legal assistant at the law firm.

"Both were detained at around 4pm at the Putrajaya MACC headquarters," the source told Bernama yesterday.

The source also added that the lawyer had links with the owner of the company which made the hotel’s S&P transaction with FIC.

"The woman suspect is believed to have played an important role in signing the sale and purchase agreement," the source told Bernama.

MACC director of investigations Datuk Simi Abd Ghani confirmed the arrests said more suspects could be picked up, The Star daily reported.

The daily also reported that both have been remanded for five days until Aug 8.

These two arrests by the anti-graft body have brought the number held to five in connection with the London hotel deal.

The hotel was allegedly purchased at a much higher price than the market price, causing FIC to lose millions of ringgit.