415 arrest link to bribery in 4 months, says top graft buster

PUTRAJAYA - Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has opened 376 investigation papers involving 415 arrests related to corruption, money laundering in the first four months of this year.

Its Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the first quarter of this year also saw a total of RM12.58 million in assets confiscated and RM59 million forfeited.

"Over the past year, a total of 829 investigation papers were opened and 851 arrests were made while RM162 million worth of assets were seized and RM5.13 billion forfeited," he said in his third keynote address at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Forum here on Tuesday.

Also present was the Institute of International Strategy Chairman Cheah Chyuan Yong.

Azam said MACC will continue to intensify its core function in combating corruption and malpractice.

"The MACC also needs to find various ways to fight corruption which is complicated in typology and modus operandi," he said.

Citing an example MACC had busted a syndicate that hacked the Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) computer system to issue visitor passes and temporary employment passes.

"In the operation, 12 people including immigration officers were detained in a large-scale operation at 22 locations in Kuala Lumpur.

"During the operation, a total of 147 bank accounts with a balance of RM10 million were frozen, properties worth RM11.87 million and 66 vehicles worth RM13 million were seized," he said.

Azam said this malpractice has been going on for the past five years and had caused the government to lose revenue.