6 January 2017
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested Datuk Mohd Arif Ab Rahman, secretary-general of Rural and Regional Development Ministry, was arrested on Wednesday at his house in USJ Subang Jaya. His two sons were arrested at the MACC headquarters after they were called in for questioning Wednesday, the Star reported.
After a raid at his residence and search of his deposit boxes which lasted in a 12-hours, MACC officials found gold bars weighing 8kg, 150 luxury handbags, branded watches and foreign and local currencies. The gold bars and Australian and Euro currencies seized were estimated at RM3million, the Star said.
MACC also seized Toyota Estima belonging to one of Datuk Mohd Arif Ab Rahman’s sons,” a source told the New Straits Times. Authorities also found more than 10 lots of land in the Klang Valley were registered under the names of those in Arif’s family.
Datuk Mohd Arif Ab Rahman and his two sons have been remanded for seven days in a case involving abuse of power, corruption and money laundering. His two sons have not been named.
Allegations implicating Arif were published in blogs. Deputy Chief Commissioner of MACC said that it would consider these allegations. The allegations include frequent golfing trips, luxury shopping trips, owning luxury cars etc.
The Rural and Regional Development Ministry said that it will co-operate with MACC’s investigations into alleged graft involving its secretary-general. The Minister in-charge Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the Ministry will leave it to MACC to conduct its probe. “I would like to assure that the ministry will give its full cooperation to the MACC and will continuously support its efforts in combating corruption and abuse of power,” he said in a statement today.
The Secretaries General in the various Ministries have powers over budget and contracts awarded by the Ministry for major projects.
Recently a former director of Sabah Water Department, his wife and a former deputy were charged with misappropriating funds. The department is not a federal ministry but a state agency. Read more here.

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