JOHOR BARU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Graft busters have seized 150 designer handbags, cash and a luxury MPV from the house of a Johor official hours after his arrest.
The raid was conducted immediately after the arrest of state Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Abdul Latif Bandi at 10.50am on Thursday by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers.
The handbags included luxury brands such as Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton.
Also seized was a Toyota Vellfire and RM41,000 (S$13,000) in cash. Abd Latif is expected to be brought to court on Friday to be remanded.
He had opted to go on leave from his state exco duties following a massive housing and land scandal in the state.
MACC has been tailing Abdul Latif for days and keeping track of his whereabouts, prior to the arrest.
The MACC urged the public not to speculate on the case and to allow anti-graft officers to carry out a thorough probe.
On Feb 24, Abdul Latif's eldest son Ahmad Fauzan and his special officer Muhammad Idzuan Jamalludin, were detained by the MACC.
Following the arrest of his son and special officer, Abdul Latif has kept mum on the matter and has not been seen in public.
About RM15.5mil in more than 45 accounts was frozen as part of the probe. Also seized were 21 luxury cars, five high-powered motorcycles and stacks of documents.
A lawyer, two developers, a contractor as well as another suspect have also been arrested .
All seven suspects, aged between 25 and 50, have been released on bail.
So far, the MACC has recorded statements from 15 people .
Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin expressed sympathy for Abdul Latif over the arrest.
"We sympathise with him (Abdul Latiff) and leave it to the MACC in the interest of justice," Mohamed Khaled told reporters.
