Federal Court chief registrar Zainal Abidin Kamarudin granted a five-day remand for former Felda chairperson Isa Samad but rejected his lawyer's request that he be held in a hospital.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had earlier sought a seven-day remand order but Isa's lawyer K Kumareandran objected to this.

He said his client was not a flight risk nor would he interfere with other witnesses.

"The MACC is remanding him so they could refer documents to him to record statements, we said MACC can call him (to record statements after Isa is freed)," he told reporters outside the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court this morning.

Kumareandran said he had applied for Isa to be remanded in a hospital since the latter suffered from acute heart-related problems.

The registrar rejected the application after deputy public prosecutor Tengku Amir Zaki Tengku Abdul Rahman assured him that MACC would pay attention to Isa's medical needs.

"The MACC officer gave an undertaking that he (Isa) will be given a room, sofa and medical attention," said Kumareandran.

The registrar also instructed MACC to complete its probe by Sunday and was told that the commission is in the final stages.

Isa is being investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act for allegedly accepting gratification.

Kumareandran, however, claimed his client, who was arrested yesterday, was not informed by the MACC of any specific case.

Isa was reportedly detained in connection with the purchase of hotels in London and Kuching, Sarawak, by the Felda Investment Corporation (FIC).

The former Negeri Sembilan menteri besar's house in Selangor was also raided.

Isa, 68, was brought to court clad in the customary orange lock-up attire at 9.10am. He was accompanied by several MACC officers.

He looked calm and smiled at his family members. Isa's wife, Bibi Sharliza Mohd Khalid, who was also present the court compound, shed tears when her husband was brought in.