KUCHING: A senior technician and an engineer from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) were arrested yesterday by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in connection with the failure of a contractor to carry out tendered painting and renovation works in Miri.

According to an MACC press statement, the 59-year-old senior technician and 39-year-old engineer were arrested in an operation which started between 12 noon and 1.20pm yesterday.

Also arrested by the MACC yesterday was a 49-year-old manager who had been appointed to carry out the project, which was tendered in April 2015.

The statement revealed that the tender was offered by HDC in 2015 for painting and renovation works to be carried out on 12 double-storey flats in Miri which were damaged in a fire.

According to MACC, a total of 10 applications were received by HDC, which subsequently awarded the tender to a company which submitted an offer of more than RM2 million.

“However, the company which was awarded the tender went on to sub-contract the work to another company belonging to another individual,” said an MACC spokesperson in the statement.

The spokesperson added that the company that was awarded the tender then made a claim of payment for RM11,969 from HDC in 2016 even though the job was never done.

“HDC had also issued a completion of work certificate on November 15 when the painting and restoration works were not carried out.”

Those arrested will be brought to court for a remand order today.

It was understood that the arrests by MACC came following the release of the Auditor General’s Report 2016.