KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 17): Deleum Bhd said today that its 60%-owned unit Deleum Primera Sdn Bhd (DPSB) is seeking RM19.88 million from its executives, Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd executives and its own sub-contractors, in a civil suit DPSB filed against them in November over an alleged illegal scheme.
The alleged scheme, as previously reported, was purportedly initiated to defraud Petronas Carigali in relation to multiple maintenance and services contracts between the Petronas’ unit and DPSB.
"The sum set out in the statement of claim filed on Nov 5, 2020 by DPSB against various defendants on a joint and several liability basis amounts to RM19,876,389.87. This amount claimed is based on the forensic investigation by PwC Consulting Associates (M) Sdn Bhd (PwC) and is presently subject to the court’s determination.
"PwC’s forensic investigation and the execution of the ad interim (holding over) Forthwith Delivery Up Order are ongoing. Furthermore, there is an ad interim (holding over) Mareva (Freezing) Injunction against the relevant defendants," Deleum said in a stock exchange filing today.
In filing the suit, DPSB had also applied for an Anton Pillar order, together with the Mareva injunction. An Anton-Pillar order is an attempt by DPSB to seek further evidence in respect of the purported illegal scheme. The company also lodged a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over the alleged illegal scheme on Nov 25.
So far, two senior executives working for DPSB have been interviewed by MACC in its investigations into the scheme. It is understood that the MACC investigation also covers the potential involvement of Deleum's top management and executives of both DPSB and Petronas Carigali.
In a Dec 14 report, The Edge wrote, citing sources, that the MACC was following closely the money trail from Petronas Carigali through DPSB and its sub-contractors, and into Petronas Carigali executives, to understand the modus operandi involved in the illegal scheme, as it suspects it is a wider scheme involving the Petronas subsidiary and its main contractors through their sub-contractors.
It also wrote that Petronas Carigali was understood to have taken action against its staff, based on a message from Petronas president and CEO Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz, who noted that an internal probe is being conducted.
DPSB, however, had denied any involvement of the company's top management in the scheme. It also denied any alleged understating of profits for the company’s financial year ended Dec 31, 2019 (FY19), and any other allegations of false accounting.
Deleum shares closed 1.5 sen or 2.33% higher at 66 sen apiece today, after 819,500 shares were traded, with a market capitalisation of RM265.03 million.