A former senior management and board member of Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Bhd (PUNB) is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for abusing and misappropriating funds that run into the millions of ringgit, according to The Malaysian Insight.
Money was used for the acquisition of several companies as well as contracts, loans and the sale of properties, sources told the news portal.
One of the contracts includes the purchase of 20,000 copies of a book on former prime minister Najib Razak worth RM400,000.
MACC has been investigating the case since mid-2018. In June that year, the anti-graft agency raided the PUNB headquarters in Kuala Lumpur in connection with the publication of Najib’s memoir titled “Najib Razak, Di Sebalik Nama (Behind The Name)”.
According to TMI, citing an internal investigation report, the purchase of the books did not comply with the procurement process and procedures of PUNB while the publisher had family ties with the agency’s board of directors.
An investigation by an accounting firm had been underway since the end of October 2018, following the transition of the PUNB leadership, said the portal.
In September 2018, Hazimah Zainuddin was appointed PUNB chairman, replacing former Malacca chief minister Mohd Ali Rustam who resigned at the end of June that year.
Ali, who led PUNB from August 1, 2013, resigned with two other board members, Jamelah A. Bakar and Hasbullah Wa David.
