Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the Infrastructure Development Ministry would leave no stone unturned in investigating two of its officers suspected of corruption and abuse of power.

He said the ministry, which he also heads, would extend its full cooperation to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in the investigation of the case.

Pairin said he was truly shocked when he heard of the arrests, stories and photographs being circulated in the social media.

“I understand that this particular RM3.3 billion worth of federal projects is under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, of which my ministry does not handle,” he said in a statement issued in Kota Kinabalu today.

He said the allocations were directly channelled to the state Water Department, as the implementing agency, without the Ministry’s knowledge.

According to Pairin, the procurement of the projects, as well as the payments, were handled by the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and the state Water Department.

“In light of this development, my ministry will study and propose an appropriate reporting system, which will put the ministry in the loop,” he said.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission allegedly seized more than RM114.5 million from raids at the offices and homes of the two suspects.

In a press conference on Wednesday, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Azam Baki described the case as "the biggest cash bust" in the history of MACC involving civil servants.

- Bernama