The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Tuesday nabbed a 'Datuk Seri' and his son who is also a 'Datuk' to assist investigations into a land scandal involving Yayasan Bumiputra Pulau Pinang Berhad (Penang Bumiputera Foundation).

MACC in a statement said the two suspects aged 74 and 47 respectively were linked to a leading property developing company in Penang which is also listed on Bursa Malaysia.

According to the statement, they were picked up separately at about 7pm, from the Penang MACC office and MACC headquarters in Putrajaya.

"Both suspects were believed to have abused their positions and sold land belonging to a subsidiary of the foundation without going through the established procedures at a price far lower than the original price.

"Their acts were believed to have resulted in losses amounting to millions of ringgit to the foundation's subsidiary in the past few years," the statement said.

According to the statement, the arrests were a follow-up from an MACC investigation on a trustee of the foundation in Penang on March 29, on suspicion of abusing his position for self-interest.

The property developer based in Georgetown was found developing several properties around Penang including Kepala Batas and Tanjung Bungah, the statement said.

The father and son were respectively the adviser and managing director of the company.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki when contacted said both of them would be brought to Georgetown Magistrate's Court tomorrow to obtain a remand order.

The case is being investigated under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.

-- BERNAMA