ACA investigating RM2m bribe

The Star

By CHRISTINA TAN

SHAH ALAM: A 26-year-old officer attached to the state Land and Mines Department is being investigated for allegedly asking and receiving a RM2mil bribe to obtain approval to develop land as well as change the status of a piece of land.

A house valued at about RM150,000 and two cars worth between RM160,000 and RM170,000 had been seized from the officer, said Selangor Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director Mohd Jamidah Abdullah.

“The officer’s RM400,000 cash in a fixed deposit account is also under investigation under the Anti-Corruption Act.

“The officer has not been arrested yet as investigations were still being conducted,” he told reporters here Tuesday.

Mohd Jamidah said investigations had shown that the officer had allegedly received the sum of RM2mil and spent the money on the house and cars as well as saved some cash in the fixed deposit account.

“We are also checking where the remainder of the money has gone,” he said.

Mohd Jamidah added that the investigations initiated in February, following a tip-off from the public, indicated that the officer was involved in these illegal activities.

The officer purportedly committed the offence at the end of last year, he said.

“We have gathered sufficient information and the investigation is nearly completed,” he said, adding that the findings would be submitted to the Attorney General for further action.

Mohd Jamidah also said the state ACA had received 58 complaints of corruption this year and a number of these cases involved government officers.