Malaysian anti-graft body investigating suspected $36m baby milk cartel
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Suspects are believed to have supplied substandard milk powder to a government department across peninsular Malaysia from 2021 to 2024.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PEXELS
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SHAH ALAM - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has recorded statements from 10 individuals as part of an investigation into an infant formula supply cartel to a government department, which failed to meet standards, valued at approximately RM 120 million (S$36 million), Malaysian media outlet Sinar Harian reports.
Sources told the Malay language daily that four of these individuals are a married couple and their two sons.
“This family of four are the owners and directors of the company suspected of orchestrating the cartel,” the source revealed.
As of now, account seizures have amounted to RM 174.6 million, involving 24 individual accounts and 51 company accounts.
MACC is also set to investigate the government department linked to the cartel issue.
MACC special operations senior director Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin confirmed the asset seizure and told Sinar Harian that the case remains under investigation.
An exclusive report by Sinar Harian on July 9 revealed that MACC, in collaboration with the Inland Revenue Board and Bank Negara, uncovered the cartel following the arrest of three family members aged between 40 and 70 years old, comprising two owners and a company director.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki noted that the company owned by the husband and wife had allegedly monopolised the milk powder supply tender for 20 years.
The suspects are believed to have supplied substandard milk powder to a government department across peninsular Malaysia from 2021 to 2024.
Subsequently, the MACC raided a milk processing plant and two companies in the Klang Valley.
Preliminary investigations also found that many companies securing the milk powder supply tenders to the government department were unrelated to food and beverage production, processing, and distribution.
These companies were primarily involved in furniture, electrical, contracting, real estate, transportation, and civil engineering sectors, with some earning profits between 10 to 50 per cent from the milk powder supply. THE STAR/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
