ISKANDAR PUTERI: State executive councillor Datuk Abdul Latif Bandi has gone on leave following a massive housing and land scandal in the state.
The Johor Housing and Local Government Committee chairman told Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin of his decision before the start of the state exco meeting at Bangunan Dato Jaafar in Kota Iskandar at about 9.30am yesterday.
His decision came less than 24 hours after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers grilled him for four hours on Tuesday.
Senior Johor exco member Datuk Md Jais Sarday said Mohamed Khaled accepted Abdul Latif’s decision to go on leave immediately.
“He will be on leave until further notice,” Md Jais told a press conference at Bangunan Dato Jaafar.
He said that Mohamed Khaled had also put Abdul Latif's portfolio on hold.
State Secretary Azmi Rohani, Md Jais said, would handle all management tasks related to housing and local government matters for the time being
He added that the state government would give its full cooperation to the MACC in the investigation.
Asked if Abdul Latif would also go on leave from Umno as he is Mersing deputy chief, Md Jais said that only the government position was mentioned.
It was reported that the MACC arrested Abdul Latif’s son Ahmad Fauzan and special officer Muhammad Idzuan Jamalludin on Feb 24.
MACC also arrested a contractor on Tuesday, bringing the number of suspects detained in the case to seven.
It was reported on Monday that kickbacks in the scandal, involving tens of millions of ringgit, had started in 2013.
It involved converting bumiputra housing lots to non-bumiputra lots, which could then fetch higher prices when sold.
Hundreds of housing lots were converted.
During last Friday’s swoop, MACC seized 21 luxury cars and five high-powered motorcycles.
The commission also froze several bank accounts.
A lawyer, two developers and another suspect were also arrested in a series of raids that day.
MACC has so far called in 15 people to have their statements recorded.
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