2 Perak PKR EXCOS nabbed by ACA, Perak Government falls into turmoil

Two Perak PKR state executive councilors and a former PKR state assemblyperson were among six people detained in an Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) operation.

The duo are Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu (PKR-Changkat Jering), who is exco for tourism, human capital and NGOs and Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (PKR-Behrang), the exco for entrepreneur development, agriculture and commerce.

The incident is expected to send the Perak government into turmoil as the Pakatan Rakyat government only holds a slim three-seat majority over Barisan Nasional.

In a statement, the ACA said the six were detained for alleged graft in relation to a RM180 million housing project in Seri Iskandar, about 30-minute drive south of Ipoh.

Five of them, aged between 45 and 57, were picked up yesterday following a public tip-off. Meanwhile Jamaluddin was arrested at 10.30am this morning when he surrendered himself to the ACA. He was accompanied by his lawyer.

"Three of the suspects, including an exco, were detained immediately after allegedly accepting RM100,000 in return for expediting the application process for a housing project worth RM180 million. They are also believed to be involved in sexual bribery.

The ACA also revealed that among those arrested were a Perak Tengah district councilor, a technician with the state development body and two businessmen. It is learnt that the two members of the state cabinet were not involved in sexual bribery.

According to the ACA, the five who were nabbed in a sting operation yesterday - including Mohd Osman, a retired army captain - were caught red-handed with RM100,000 found in a bag belonging to the exco at a hotel in Ipoh.

Several of them were spotted at the Ipoh Sessions Court today with handcuffs, and the five have been remanded for three days to facilitate investigations. They have yet been charged.

Jamaluddin, who has been taken in for questioning, is expected to be brought to court tomorrow. The ACA had earlier asked him to surrender himself to the agency following the arrest of the five at 6pm yesterday.