Sabah's Umno MP Raime Unggi said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should expand its investigation to include the federal ministry and its minister over the corruption case involving RM3.3 billion worth of water infrastructure projects.

He said this in reference to MACC's arrest of two senior civil servants at the Sabah Water Department, who oversaw the projects and amassed RM114.5 million in cash and assets which was seized by the graft buster.

Unnamed MACC sources claimed 60 percent of the RM3.3 billion funding was siphoned.

"This abuse of power happened in 2010 and it would be appropriate for the MACC to also investigate the minister and senior officials of the federal ministry involved," he said in a statement today.

Yesterday, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who also headed the state's Infrastructure Development Ministry, said he was kept out of the loop over the projects.

He claimed the RM3.3 billion was a federal funding that came directly from the Rural and Regional Development Ministry in Putrajaya without going through him.

Mohd Shafie Apdal served as rural and regional development minister from 2009 to 2015 and was later replaced by Ismail Sabri Yaakob after a falling out with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Raime, who is Tenom MP, said it was unlikely that the two civil servants could amass such a huge sum without the knowledge of the federal ministry.

"I am not accusing anyone but it is logical that the RM3.3 billion worth of infrastructure projects channelled by the federal government through the federal ministry would require the approval of the relevant minister and senior officials.

"Therefore, it is appropriate for the MACC to investigate the possibility that the two senior officers of the state agency were also involved with higher ups in the ministry," he said.