Army chief put on leave pending corruption probe
Army chief Hafizuddeain Jantan has taken immediate leave pending an investigation into allegations against him.
Defence Minister Khaled Nordin said the leave allows authorities to investigate the allegations.
Army chief Hafizuddeain Jantan has taken immediate leave pending an investigation into allegations against him.
Defence Minister Khaled Nordin said the leave allows authorities to investigate the allegations.
“This administrative measure ensures the investigation proceeds smoothly without any conflict of interest,” he said in a statement today.
It was reported that Badrul Hisham Shaharin, also known as Chegubard, accused a senior armed forces officer of involvement in money laundering.
Following this, MACC chief Azam Baki confirmed that an investigation under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 is underway.
Last Tuesday, MACC officers visited the Defence Ministry and focused their investigations on projects implemented through open tenders and procurements involving the army.
The MACC investigation, launched on Dec 23, found that from 2023 to 2025, there were 158 army procurement projects that exceeded RM500,000 and 4,521 projects below RM500,000.
Initial checks identified several companies that were frequently awarded high-value contracts, raising suspicions.
As of Dec 24, the MACC has recorded statements from three individuals to assist in investigations.
- Bernama
