19 engineers nabbed in Sabah anti-graft probe
KOTA KINABALU • The anti-graft probe into the Sabah Water Department has widened with the arrests of 19 district or divisional engineers during a one-day operation.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigators on Wednesday seized RM2.4 million (S$800,000) from several of those detained during raids at 27 locations around the state.
Investigators also seized the department's procurement files and were going through these documents. It is believed that the engineers were collecting as much as 27 to 30 per cent of the contract amounts from contractors, in order for them to be awarded certain projects.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Giant jade stone in Myanmar too big to move
YANGON • A 174-tonne jade stone worth millions of dollars that was uncovered in Myanmar will have to stay where it is for now - because its owners do not have equipment strong enough to move it.
The 5.8m-wide stone was discovered by miners in northern Kachin state last week. It was buried up to 60m deep inside a mountain.
While some have estimated the rock could be worth more than US$170 million (S$236 million), a local lawmaker said its value was probably closer to US$5.4 million.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Owner of Indian hospital arrested over fatal blaze
NEW DELHI • Indian police have arrested the wanted owner of a hospital after he turned himself in over a blaze earlier this week that killed 21 patients, a top officer said yesterday.
Mr Manoj Nayak, chairman of the private SUM hospital, presented himself at a police station late on Wednesday following a two-day hunt for him in eastern Odisha state.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
