Seven enforcement personnel remanded by MACC for taking monthly bribes

KUALA LUMPUR: Seven local authority enforcement personnel have been remanded for allegedly accepting monthly bribes of almost RM12,000 from businesses operating illegally.

Sources said the suspects, aged between 30 and 40 years old, were detained by Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers around the city between 8.30am and 11am on Monday (July 22) through a special operation codenamed “Ops Orange”.

The suspects were brought to a Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (July 23), where Magistrate Amira Abd Aziz granted a remand of five days until July 27 for five personnel, while two more were remanded for seven days until July 29.

“Through surveillance and intelligence gathering for about six months, the six suspects were believed to have protected premises that operated illegally by accepting monthly bribes between RM200 and RM1,000 from owners and caretakers of the premises.

“The bribes were in exchange for not taking enforcement action on the premises for using ‘Ali Baba’ licences, employing foreign workers, and operating with improper licences,” the source said.

A total of RM40,000 was also seized.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur MACC Director Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Husin confirmed the arrests and said the case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.

He added that one of the suspects was released on MACC bail after his statement was recorded.