Magistrate Atikah Abu Hassan issued the order for his release after the remand period ended.

Also released was a 32-year-old CEO of a private company who had been remanded for four days along with Siew.

The two arrived at the court around 9am, escorted by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers.

They are being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act on the use of one’s office for gratification.

On Wednesday the magistrates’ court issued a four-day remand order against Siew to facilitate investigations into a contract relating to Tourism Malaysia.

Siew, who is also Ancom Bhd executive chairman, was arrested by MACC on Tuesday night, along with the CEO of the private company.

MACC had visited the tourism and culture ministry last June over what was believed to be a contract signed between a local company and Tourism Malaysia.

Former Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong had earlier urged authorities to look into a promotional contract between Tourism Malaysia and a local company, claiming it had been given under “dubious” circumstances.

Wee claimed that a meeting on the directly negotiated deal, said to be worth RM99 million, as well as the approval and signing of the agreement, had taken place within a single day.

However, Tourism Malaysia director-general Mirza Mohammad Taiyab had refuted Wee’s allegations.