Phee’s counsel R S N Rayer said the IC was taken when Phee went to MACC’s office to give a statement.

“Midway through the questioning, Phee was ordered to be arrested.

“That was the last time he had seen his IC. We have since been asking for the IC to be returned to him after his remand was declared illegal.

“But until now, MACC has not returned our calls. May I remind them it is illegal for a person to be walking around without his IC. He can be fined RM2,000,” Rayer said at a press conference in Komtar today.

On Aug 11, MACC arrested Phee, who is Sg Puyu assemblyman, and two other men.

The other two men, a father and son aged 70 and 37, are the owners of a carbon filter factory which is alleged to have been operating illegally for more than 10 years.

The trio were remanded for five days but that order was revoked by the High Court which declared it illegal.

Phee, 66, is being investigated for allegedly using his office or position for gratification under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.

The factory under the MACC probe was using the conventional method of burning sawdust to make activated carbon, a product used widely in air purifiers, water filters and air-conditioners.

Authorities launched a graft probe on the factory after it was revealed that the 5,000 sq metre factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu, Bukit Mertajam, did not have a proper emission control system.

The factory is located on hilly land in an oil palm estate, and is about 1km from the nearest residential area. The factory has since been shut down by the department of environment.

Reports say residents in the area had been complaining about the persistent filthy air, which made them fall sick, over the past 10 years.

The Penang government had said it was fully aware that the factory was illegal, but had chosen to help the factory legalise itself as it was built before 2008, when the state government was under the Barisan Nasional.