Six local authority officers and a former enforcement officer in Selangor have been arrested for allegedly taking bribes to expedite business licence applications and protect companies from legal action.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained seven individuals, including six serving officers from a Selangor local authority, over a bribery-for-licences scheme.
A source said the suspects, all men aged between 30 and 50, were arrested in the Klang Valley yesterday.
They are accused of accepting bribes to expedite business licence applications and renewals.
The suspects are also alleged to have taken money from business owners to shield certain companies from legal enforcement action.
Preliminary investigations indicate the offences were committed between 2019 and 2023.
The source stated the suspects allegedly received monthly bribes ranging from RM500 to RM15,000.
These payments were reportedly made via bank transfer into their personal accounts by two company owners.
A magistrate’s court in Shah Alam today granted the MACC a four-day remand order against all seven suspects.
The remand is effective until this Friday, February 14.
Selangor MACC director Mohd Azwan Ramli confirmed the arrests when contacted.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.
