Court complex probe sped up
26/05/2007 NST By A. Hafiz Yatim and Lee Shi-Ian

KUALA LUMPUR: Anti-Corruption Agency officers will be working round-the-clock to gather documents related to the Jalan Duta court complex fiasco.

Following the opening of investigation papers on Thursday, ACA officers have visited the contractor’s offices in Shah Alam twice.

It is learnt that documents have been taken to the ACA office in Putrajaya although it is unclear what the documents were.

"We are working non-stop to sift through massive amounts of paperwork to ensure that all the documents are in," an ACA official said.

The officers are trying to throw their net wide to obtain important documents such as sales invoices, building plans and the possible agreement signed between the plumbing company and the contractor to help in their probe.
"We will be working during the weekend as well as interviewing several people to facilitate investigations into the case," the official said.

The managing director of Johawaki Sdn Bhd, Datuk Johari Mat, and his deputy, Datuk Abdullah Che Mat, are also expected to have their statements recorded.

The plumbing company which got the sub-contract from the main contractor, was also raided by ACA officers yesterday.

However, details of the raid are sketchy as investigators are tight-lipped over the matter.

Meanwhile, at the Jalan Duta court complex, there were signs of repair work being carried out by Public Works Department staff.

However, a PWD spokesman said the repair work being done was standard procedure and nothing out of the ordinary.

The burst pipe which flooded the cafeteria at the court complex on Tuesday was the last straw with allegations surfacing of sub-standard material being used.

This led to the ACA opening investigation papers on the contractors.

The second largest court complex in the world opened its doors on May 3 despite initial glitches which were later ironed out.

Cracks were seen on the fourth floor in front of Magistrate’s Court Four and there were also complaints that some washrooms had no water.

The complex is located on a 12-hectare piece of land and accommodates a total of 77 courts.

Even the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was drawn to the complex for the wrong reasons when two ceiling panels collapsed on April 30.