A director of a Bintulu-based company is in remand for five days beginning today for investigations into alleged misappropriation in the awarding of contracts for solar hybrid projects at 369 schools in Sarawak.

Magistrate Shah Wira Abdul Halim issued the remand order following an application by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

The 39-year-old suspect was detained at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya at about 7.45pm yesterday when he arrived to give his statement.

The case was being investigated under Section 16 (a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009 for accepting gratification.

The suspect is the third individual to be detained by MACC in connection with the case. Two days ago, the managing director of the company and its lawyer were arrested.

Early this month, an online portal reported the possibility of misappropriation in the awarding of the contracts for the solar hybrid projects, worth RM2.5 billion, in Sarawak. which were allegedly awarded directly under the directive of a former Malaysian leader.

The leader had also allegedly instructed the Education Ministry in January last year to appoint a car rental company in Bintulu to undertake the project in installing solar panels at 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

On June 11, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the Ministry of Education had begun conducting an internal investigation to identify individuals involved in misappropriation of contract award for the supply of solar energy and diesel to 369 schools in Sarawak.

Some 369 schools in Sarawak are without fixed electricity supply and are only using diesel generators for electricity supply.

Prior to 2017, diesel was supplied to schools by contractors on a contract basis.

From Jan 1, 2017, Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, which was originally one of the contractors involved, was granted the contract to supply electricity to all 369 schools for a period of three years until Dec 31, 2019 with a contract value of 'over RM1 billion' inclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST) .

Apart from supplying diesel to the rural schools in Sarawak, the company was also involved in the installation of solar hybrid systems and maintenance of generators in the 369 schools.

- Bernama