PUTRAJAYA: Peter Runin, who is the political secretary to the human resources minister, was released today from an eight-day remand by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to facilitate investigations into the misappropriation of funds allocated to the Skills Development Fund Corporation.

Magistrate Ainna Sherina Saipolamin allowed the 61-year-old to be released on MACC bail of RM30,000.

Runin was the fifth individual arrested by the MACC to assist in the investigations involving the fund misappropriation.

His remand order was to end on Oct 7 but the investigations on him have been completed.

He was reportedly arrested after he was present at the MACC headquarters to give his statements at 12.30 pm on Sept 27 and investigations were conducted under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.

On Sept 13, the MACC detained four individuals for allegedly misappropriating government funds worth almost RM40 million which should have been channeled to a skills corporation for training programmes purposes.

Those arrested were a chief executive with a “Datuk’ title, aged 58, a 34-year-old corporate secretary, a 32-year-old assistant finance officer, and a 38-year-old company director.

However these individuals were remanded on Sept 14 and have also since been released on MACC bail.