PUTRAJAYA: Anti-corruption investigators are proposing that most of those involved in the misappropriation of the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra) funds be charged, says Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

       “Investigation papers for the first 10 cases probed have been handed over to the deputy public prosecutor (DPP).

       “We are now waiting for the DPP to go through the evidence and investigation papers,” he said in an interview with selected media.

       So far, a total of 40 individuals have been detained in connection with the scam, with 22 of them, including company directors and association presidents, arrested last month.

       Mitra is a special government unit set up to address the socio-economic development of the Indian community, specifically the B40 group.

       A total of 337 companies, associations and NGOs were identified to have been approved grant allocations of about RM203mil by Mitra from 2019 to 2021.

       The Star had earlier reported that loopholes and weaknesses in Mitra’s management had allowed fund recipients to misappropriate millions of ringgit.

       On another matter, Azam said that a company secretary, as well as officers from the administration and accounts departments, are expected to be among the first group of people called by graft investigators, who will begin recording statements from witnesses in relation to Mara Corporation Sdn Bhd’s alleged power abuse case today.

       He added that the investigators would speak to the company secretary who handled meetings and kept records of decisions made by the board.

       “Officers from the administration and accounts departments would also be in the know of who issued directives for appointments and payments.

       “We will start calling the witnesses for their statements tomorrow (today). Investigators will decide who they will call, but perhaps these are the earliest people to be called,” he added.

       Mara Corp, an investment holding company of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), came under the spotlight after internal administrative documents were leaked.

       A letter was posted online, highlighting alleged wrongdoings of five Mara officers, with a list of “backdated” payments that they allegedly received.

       The officials had filed police reports on Sunday denying any wrongdoing, claiming the complaints against them were a distraction from a board member’s wrongdoings.

       The MACC on Monday raided three Mara offices in Jalan Mara, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.