Shafie got off the hook as RM1.5 billion stolen money case closed

KOTA KINABALU - 'Chief Minister' Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal has been cleared of allegations that he misappropriated RM1.5 billion when serving as Rural and Regional Development Minister from 2009 to 2015.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk VK Liew when replying to Senator Datuk Jamilah Sulaiman in Parliament today said that the case has been closed as there was no sufficient evidence for further action.

Jamilah asked the Prime Minister for an update on the corruption case against Shafie, whether investigation was still in progress and if not, what was the justification for it to be closed.

“MACC’s investigation against Datuk Seri Shafie who is the current Sabah Chief Minister was carried out on April 21 2017 and the investigation papers were handed to the federal MACC’s senior lawyer on May 28 2018.

“The Attorney General went through the findings and decided on June 28 2018 that the case is to be closed as there was no sufficient evidence to proceed further,” said Liew.

Shafie was arrested by MACC Sabah on Oct 19 2017 for investigation into the alleged siphoning of federal funds worth RM1.5 billion for rural projects in Sabah since 2009. He was remanded eight days and released on Oct 27 on bail of RM100,000 with RM80,000 deposited with two local sureties.