Kedah Football Association vice-president Radhi Mat Din has confirmed that its CEO, Zulkifli Che Haron, was remanded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday.

Reports had said the anti-graft agency obtained a three-day remand order for four individuals, including the CEO of a football club in a northern state, to facilitate an investigation into a corruption case involving RM6 million in 2020.

Describing Zulkifli as “hardworking”, Radhi expressed shock over the arrest but said he did not have more information.

“We have to give (MACC) time to carry out its investigation.

“Kedah FA will hold a special meeting today or tomorrow as we need to look into this,” Radhi, who is also the Kedah youth and sports, consumer affairs, and cost of living committee chairman, told reporters in Alor Setar, Bernama reported.

Yesterday, a source told Bernama that RM6 million was given as kickbacks to allow a company owner to obtain a tender to build a racetrack and another project to operate and maintain five water reservoir plants in the state.

I’m the real target in Kedah FA probe, says Sanusi

Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor says the investigation was made up to create the perception that a lot of corruption happens in Kedah.

Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor says he is the real “target” of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation into a graft case involving the Kedah Football Association.

Sanusi, who is also Kedah FA president, claimed those detained in the corruption case involving RM6 million in 2020 were merely “accessories” as “they” really wanted to link him to the corruption cases.

However, he did not specify who “they” were.

“They have been tirelessly searching for a way to make a case against me for months but they still cannot find it. What do you want? Do you want the truth, or do you just want to blame someone?

“You’ve found the truth: there’s no case against Sanusi,” he said in a press conference after officiating the Kedah civil servants’ assembly in Dataran Wisma Darul Aman in Alor Setar.

He added that the case was made up simply to create the perception that a lot of corruption happens in Kedah and that even its football association is involved.

Nevertheless, Sanusi said he was ready to cooperate with the MACC if he was called in to help in the investigation.

On Saturday, Kedah FA vice-president Radhi Mat Din confirmed that its CEO, Zulkifli Che Haron, was among four men detained in an investigation into a corruption case involving RM6 million in 2020.

The RM6 million was reportedly given as a kickback to allow a company owner to obtain a tender to build a racetrack, and another project to operate and maintain five water reservoir plants in the state.

In response, Sanusi said on Sunday that he would reveal the “true plot” behind the investigation, and accused MACC of being used for political purposes.

He added that the four individuals who were detained had been portrayed as if they were about to be prosecuted in court when they were only there to give their statements to aid in the investigation.

Sanusi questioned the reason for the action taken against the four.

“The contribution is not RM6 million. It was only RM5 million. Where did you get the RM6 million from?

“Can you see how deceitful they are? They tried to make the amount look bigger,” Sanusi said.