THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has received 286 information and 22 reports of corruption, abuse of power and embezzlement during the Movement Control Order (MCO) that was enforced from 18th March to 21st April 2020.

The anti-graft agency also arrested three suspects in two separate cases due to their act of bribing the enforcement officers on frontline duties during MCO.

Two Pakistani men were arrested in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah after they had tried to bribe an enforcement agency officer with RM7,000 to avoid action taken against them for allegedly smuggling cigarettes at a roadblock.

The second case took place in Johor, where a store owner offered the local authority enforcement officer in Kluang RM500 to avoid action being taken against him for operating his business premise without permission.

Both the recent cases show that illegal activities such as smuggling and operating business premises without permission still occur even during the MCO period and such unlawful activities indirectly contribute to corruption.

Meanwhile, the MACC congratulates the enforcement agencies on the frontline for being strict against criminals and bribers.

The agency emphasized that it will continue to conduct investigations even under limited circumstances following the MCO’s standard operating and procedures (SOP) guidelines that had been set.

The MACC offices remain open nationwide with a minimum number of officers on rotational duty to act on information obtained.

THE MALAYSIAN ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION
PUTRAJAYA

22nd APRIL 2020