A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) source said the bribes were linked to land reclamation works off the coast of Kota Laksamana in Melaka.

The source also claimed that the suspect, a managing director of a company, allegedly received bribes of up to RM300,000 in cash from the owner of a company who has a “Datuk” title.

“The suspect is believed to have received the bribes around 2021 to 2023 as kickbacks to award land reclamation works spanning about 100 acres to the company owned by the ‘Datuk’.

“The suspect and the individual with the ‘Datuk’ title were arrested at about 4.30pm to 5pm yesterday after giving their statements at the Melaka MACC headquarters,” the source added.

Melaka MACC director Adi Supian Shafie confirmed the arrests but said the company owner was later released on bail.

Earlier, lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali confirmed that former Senate deputy president Ali Mohamad had been remanded for six days to assist MACC in a corruption probe.

Rafique said MACC officers raided Ali’s house in Tangga Batu yesterday evening before bringing him to the anti-graft agency’s office in Melaka.

Ali served as deputy Senate president from December 2020 to May 2023. He is also Bersatu’s deputy information chief.