MACC ARRESTS FOUR OVER ALLEGED BRIBERY TO HARBOUR UNDOCUMENTED FOREIGN WORKERS

MELAKA, Jan 6 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained four individuals, including three enforcement officers from a Melaka State Government department, on suspicion of involvement in corrupt activities to harbour undocumented foreign workers.

According to a source, all the suspects, aged between 30 and 50, were detained at the Melaka MACC office between 11.50 am and 4.50 pm yesterday.

Two of the enforcement officers are believed to have received monthly bribes from employers or companies in Melaka in exchange for protecting their premises and refraining from taking action against them for hiring illegal migrant workers and those without valid work permits.

“The wife of one of the enforcement officers was also detained on suspicion of abetting her husband in the corrupt activities by assisting in managing and receiving bribe payments from the employers involved.

“The bribe payments are believed to have been made in cash through hand-to-hand transactions as well as via bank account transfers,” the source said.

The third enforcement officer was also detained for allegedly soliciting and receiving bribes from a restaurant manager in Melaka in exchange for not taking action against foreign workers employed at the premises without valid travel documents early last year.

All four suspects have been remanded for six days from today until Jan 11 on an order issued by Magistrate Sharda Shienha Mohd Suleiman at the Ayer Keroh Magistrate’s Court.

Melaka MACC director Datuk Adi Supian Shafie, when contacted, confirmed the arrests and said the case was the result of joint intelligence and operational cooperation with the police.

According to him, the case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.

-- BERNAMA