PUTRAJAYA: The investigation paper on a corruption case involving a journalist from a news portal, who was arrested last Friday, will be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor for further action, according to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said this would allow the deputy public prosecutor to assess the case.
He said the journalist was arrested following a complaint alleging that he had solicited a sum of money, which constituted an offence under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.
“In this case, a request for money was made by a journalist, and we suspect it was related to not publishing an article.
“He (allegedly) coerced the complainant into making a payment, which constituted an offence. Corruption is not limited to public officials or politicians alone,” he said at a press conference here today.
When asked whether the MACC was investigating the foreign worker recruitment syndicate exposed by the journalist, Azam said an investigation had already begun.
“I have repeatedly told the media that we are investigating several issues related to foreign worker entry cartels in the country.
“The investigation is ongoing, but (I must stress that) anyone who takes advantage of a situation to coerce others into paying money is committing an offence,” he said.
Azam added that he was leaving the investigation, including the decision on extending the journalist’s remand, to his officers.
MACC arrested the journalist at a hotel in Shah Alam at about 11 pm on Friday in what it said was a sting operation.
Azam said the journalist was detained over allegations of corruption, not because of any news reports he had written.
The journalist is suspected of soliciting and accepting a bribe of about RM20,000 in exchange for taking down an article and refraining from further reporting on a foreign worker agency allegedly involved in a syndicate.
He has been remanded for four days, from Saturday until tomorrow.
On another matter, Azam said the MACC had arrested 322 individuals and opened 238 investigation papers related to corruption and abuse of power between Jan 1 and Feb 28 this year.
“So far, 99 individuals have been charged in court in the first two months of this year,” he added.
