The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has recorded a statement from a senior minister in connection with investigations into alleged corruption involving his former political secretary.

MACC investigation director Mustafar Ali said the minister's statement was recorded over two hours from 3.30pm on Tuesday.

"Investigations into the former political secretary are continuing and to date he has not been charged," Mustafar told reporters in Putrajaya today.

While Mustafar did not reveal the name of the minister and his political aide, it is clear he was referring to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nor Mohamed Yakcop and his political secretary, Hasbie Satar.

Hasbie is believed to be the RM2 million man being investigated by the MACC  since two months ago.

In February, MACC had detained the political aide after a raid which found bundles of RM5, RM10, RM50 and RM100 at an apartment in Teluk Air Tawar, Butterworth.

The 30-something political secretary had been under  probe by the MACC for amassing millions of ringgit in properties, including at least four luxury cars and four houses in the Klang Valley.

Late last year, MACC officials had obtained an order to seize several of the aide's properties and to freeze his bank accounts.

Hasbie, a Sarawakian, was appointed political secretary in 2008 while Nor Mohamed was finance minister II.

Minister in charge of EPU

Nor Mohamed, who hails from Penang and MP for Tasek Gelugor, was finance minister II from 2004 to 2009.

Teluk Air Tawar, where the raid was conducted, is one of the three state constitutencies under the Tasek Gelugor parliamentary seat in  Seberang Prai, Penang.

Before joining politics, Nor Mohamed was in Bank Negara for 32 years where he was linked to a currency speculation scandal involving the central bank in the early 1990s.

He was later appointed as special economic adviser by then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

As minister in the PM's Dept, Nor Mohamed is in charge of the powerful Economic Planning Unit.


- Bernama