KUALA LUMPUR: Ten individuals, including five enforcement officers, have been arrested on suspicion of soliciting and accepting bribes ranging from RM500 to RM1,000 to amend the specifications of commercial vehicle engines from regular diesel vehicles to green diesel vehicles in the system without following stipulated procedures.
They were arrested in several states, with four in Johor, three in Selangor, two in Perak and one in Sabah.
A source from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said that the suspects solicited bribes from vehicle owners and middlemen in return for carrying out such activities.
According to the sources, all suspects, aged between 33 and 66, were detained between 11am and 3pm. The operation also involved four agents and a company owner, comprising four men and a woman.
"The syndicate is believed to have made vehicle data amendments to obtain green diesel status for the vehicles.
"The syndicate is believed to have been active from around 2019 to 2022, and the estimated value of bribery is around RM1.28mil for the five enforcement officers involved, comprising three men and two women,” said the source.
The source also said that government revenue loss from the syndicate’s activities is estimated to be around RM12.73mil from 2018 to 2022.
"Owners of commercial vehicles seeking a 50 per cent road tax reduction without complying with legal regulations and procedures are believed to contact agents to make amendments to their vehicle information.
"The agents will then contact the enforcement officers and provide the registration numbers of the vehicles involved without following the stipulated procedures,” the source said.
Meanwhile, MACC Intelligence Director Datuk Azmi Kamaruzaman, when contacted, confirmed the arrests and said the case is being investigated under Section 16 (a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009.
He said all the suspects will be brought for remand applications at the Magistrate's Court in Ipoh, Putrajaya, Johor Baru and the Magistrate's Court in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, at 9am. - Bernama
