Penang's outgoing Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin was detained in Johor last night for questioning by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

He was released at about 4pm today after undergoing hours of questioning.

Fairus, who is battling corruption claims for the past few months, was detained when he was on his way to Singapore.

mohammad fairus penang deputy cm deny resign 160708 01State news agency Bernama reported that he was being probed on allegation of bribery involving a quarry company in Seberang Perai, Penang.

According to DAP's Johor deputy chief Norman Fernandez, Fairus who is the Penanti assemblyperson was held by immigration officers at the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) about 11pm last night.

"We heard the news about 1am in the morning... but when I rushed to the MACC in Air Molek about 2am to see him, they would not allow us in," said Fernandez, who was also accompanied by a Johor PKR leader.

Fernandez added that when he went to check up on Fairus this morning, the MACC officers were still in the midst of recording his statement.

Fairus tendered in his resignation last Saturday as the deputy chief minister and his state portfolios. However, he had retained his Penanti seat. His resignation will be effective on April 8.

Fairus, 33, was among the youngest to hold such a high government post in Penang.

But his "attitude problems" as alleged by his former officers and party colleagues had put him in a tight spot for the past few months.

He has denied this, saying that many were jealous that he was given such a high position at an early age.

MACC tracking Fairus since Mar 19

MACC investigating director Syukri Abdul told Bernama that efforts to track him have been going on since March 19.

Kepala Batas PKR Youth chief Amizudin Ahmat had said during a municipal council meeting on Feb 27 that there was a high-profile Penang PKR leader who had accepted bribes from the quarry companies in Seberang Perai.

Following that the Penang MACC had taken statement from several individuals in relation to the case last week.

mohammad fairus penang deputy cm deny resign 160708 02Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has stated that he has no information on the matter and added that he would leave to the MACC to conduct their investigations.

Meanwhile, Athi Veeranggan reports from Penang that the MACC was taking statement from Fairus from 10am during an interrogation session in the Johor Baru MACC office.

It is also learnt that the MACC reports against Fairus were lodged by his enemies within the PKR circle.

MACC officers have also recorded a statement from Fairus's Johor-born wife over his assets in the southern state.

When contacted, Penang MACC director Latifah Md Yatim confirmed the investigation on the Penang state Penanti seat elected representative.

However, she declined further elaboration on the case, although she said it was on several graft claims that allegedly took place during Fairus' time in the Penang administration in the past one year.

Among the allegations hurled at Fairus was that he had received RM10,000 from a quarry operator to sponsor a trip to London.

However, Fairus is learnt to have told the PKR top leadership the money, which was deposited via a bank account, was a loan from the quarry operator, and that he was planning to settle the sum soon.

Several PKR members informed Malaysiakini that they were unable to reach him for the past 48 hours.