Magistrate Mohamad Amin Shahul Hamid allowed the application for the remand at 3pm today.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has held the two top officers since last week, as part of a dragnet into allegations of graft in the state-linked body.
MACC had arrested a total of 12 people, including key management figures from the Penang Zakat Centre and eight contractors, aged between 30 and 52, on May 9 and 10.
Yesterday, six of the 12 suspects were released on MACC bond. Of the six, four were contractors released on RM5,000 bond each, while two other Penang Zakat officers were released on RM10,000 bond each.
This morning, another three contractor suspects were released on RM5,000 bond each.
However, the fate of the 42-year-old woman contractor under remand is not known as MACC had not responded to FMT’s queries on her status.
The suspects arrested were investigated under Section 17 of the MACC Act 2009.
Under this section, it is an offence for a person to accept, obtain, give or offer any gratification as an inducement for doing something.
If found guilty, they may be jailed for not more than 20 years and fined not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification received.
The contractors were alleged to have been given contracts for “community development” programmes under the zakat centre.
In turn, they are alleged to have paid “profit money” or kickbacks to the 50-year-old Datuk, who is a top official at the centre.
The MACC believes the racket has been operating from as early as 2013.
It was also revealed that the Datuk had approved yearly study loans for his child and obtained advance money, bypassing procedures to put his offspring in college.
The Penang Zakat Centre is under the purview of the Penang Islamic Council (MAINPP).
MAINPP, a statutory body of the Penang government, has since offered to work together with MACC in the probe and promised the sternest action if any zakat official is found guilty of wrongdoing.
State executive councillor in charge of Islamic affairs Abdul Malik Abul Kassim earlier allayed fears of tithe contributors, saying the money was “untouched” by those suspected of involvement in the racket.