ALOR STAR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recorded a statement from a former special officer to Datuk Seri Najib Razak to assist the investigation into a graft probe involving a Kedah-based political activist.

It is learnt that the 37-year-old man arrived at the Kedah MACC office here yesterday to have his statement recorded in connection with the case.

A source familiar with the investigation said the man, said to have served as Najib's special officer when the latter was prime minister has been released this morning.

On Wednesday, MACC obtained a four-day remand order against a political activist and two other men.

It was reported that the men were being investigated for allegedly soliciting and accepting a bribe from a celebrity preacher to settle the latter's money laundering case from being investigated by the police.

It was learnt that all suspects had conspired to solicit RM150,000 from the preacher but only received RM20,000 from him.

The men, in their 30s and 50s, were detained in Bedong and the state MACC headquarters on Tuesday.

Kedah MACC director Ahmad Nizam Ismail was reported to have confirmed the arrest and the case was being investigated under Section 16(a) A of the MACC Act 2009.