Eleven enforcement officers have been remanded by the Sarawak branch of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over allegations of soliciting and receiving bribes amounting to RM239,000, in a case that has raised concerns over integrity within enforcement agencies.
According to a report by The Borneo Post, the bribes were allegedly paid in return for protection, the avoidance of intimidation and assistance in facilitating activities linked to several inmates. Investigators believe the scheme involved close coordination with individuals outside detention facilities.
At the Bintulu Magistrates’ Court, Magistrate Kasyfurrahman Abang Ahmad approved a four-day remand order until Feb 6 for six suspects, while four others were remanded for five days until Feb 7. Another suspect was ordered to be held for three days until Feb 5 following a separate application by MACC.
Sources revealed that the suspects, aged between their 20s and 40s, were detained between 11.50am and 4pm yesterday after presenting themselves at the MACC Bintulu office to record statements. The arrests marked a significant development in an investigation that had been conducted quietly over an extended period.
Preliminary findings indicated that the alleged offences took place between 2020 and 2025, with bribes reportedly solicited from family members of inmates. Such practices, if proven, highlight ongoing challenges faced by enforcement authorities in curbing corruption at operational levels.
“The suspects are believed to have received amounts ranging from RM2,400 to RM45,000 through bank transfers into accounts belonging to their wives and intermediaries,” a source familiar with the investigation said, adding that financial trails are now a key focus of the probe.
Sarawak MACC director Hasbilah Mohamad Salleh confirmed the arrests and said the case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009. He stressed that the commission remains committed to taking firm action against any form of corruption, regardless of rank or position.
