KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 2): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is prepared to meet blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin over his allegation that Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi received kickbacks amounting to S$20 million (about RM67 million) connected to the troubled littoral combat ship (LCS) project.

In a report on Wednesday (Nov 2), Free Malaysia Today (FMT) said MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki told the news portal that the agency would let Raja Petra, also known as RPK, to propose a location for the meeting as suggested by the blogger in a video posted on his website on Tuesday.

“We are ready to meet him. He can pick a location to meet my officers to allow us to obtain further information from him regarding the allegation,” Azam was quoted as saying.

Raja Petra alleged that the former deputy prime minister received the money in eight staggered payments between 2012 and 2013.

He claimed the transactions were facilitated through money changers in Malaysia and Singapore.

FMT reported that in the video, the blogger extended an invitation to the MACC to go to the UK, where he is believed to be based, to meet him, so that he could hand over the relevant documents.

The LCS project came under parliamentary scrutiny over the non-delivery of six ships contracted for by the Ministry of Defence.

In a report, the Public Accounts Committee noted that not a single ship had been completed to date — despite the Government having paid RM6.08 billion.

The contract to acquire the ships was awarded to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd through direct negotiations in 2011.

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