Hasanah Abdul Hamid, Malaysia’s ex-spy chief and Najib ally, arrested for theft of election cash
Anti-corruption investigators also arrest seven other officers from Hasanah’s agency, which worked directly under the prime minister’s department
A controversial Malaysian former spy chief was remanded in custody on Wednesday over the alleged theft of funds intended to be used for May’s general election in May.
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There has been a purge of senior officials with links to the former government since the election upset, with the attorney general and the head of the civil service among those losing their jobs.
Hasanah was arrested on Tuesday by anti-corruption investigators probing the theft of the election funds from the prime minister’s department, which reports say amount to millions of ringgit.
The 61-year-old appeared in court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody for five days, an official from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said.
“Hasanah is being investigated for abuse of power,” the official added.
Anti-corruption investigators have this week arrested seven other officers from Hasanah’s agency, which worked directly under the prime minister’s department, as part of their probe into the missing money.
Hasanah was at the centre of a controversy last month after a letter she wrote to the head of the CIA before the election leaked online.