Citing senior MACC sources and lawyers familiar with the situation, the Singapore-based news portal said investigators temporarily detained Akbar for questioning last week after raiding his home and business premises in Kuala Lumpur.

The report claims the anti-graft body has frozen his business and personal accounts, and ordered him to declare his assets and his family’s financial holdings.

They also said Akbar was expected to be recalled for more questioning soon, together with other former close associates.

Akbar’s office has declined to comment on the investigation’s specifics, with a spokesman quoted by CNA as saying that their primary focus “remains on ensuring a fair investigation”.

Investigators are reportedly looking into the alleged repatriation of frozen shares valued at US$4 billion (RM18.75 billion) once listed in the Central Limit Order Book (CLOB), Singapore’s now-defunct over-the-counter market that traded mainly in Malaysian shares.

They are also said to be probing a change in shareholding at conglomerate Multi-Purpose Holdings Bhd in the late 1990s and 2000.

MACC is reportedly also looking into an MPHB unit’s US$140 million loan to British Virgin Islands entities Eightybridge United SA and Strykers Development Inc, which were used to acquire controlling blocks of MPHB shares from tycoon Lim Thian Kiat.

In January, Daim was charged with failing to declare to MACC his ownership of 71 assets, including 38 companies, 19 plots of land in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Kedah and Kuala Lumpur, as well as six properties.

His wife, Naimah Khalid, also claimed trial to a charge of failing to comply with a MACC notice requiring the declaration of assets.

The family has filed an application for a judicial review over MACC’s probe into their affairs.