PETALING JAYA: Two company owners and an officer of a state government agency have been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for their alleged involvement in illegally unloading minerals containing bauxite in Kuantan, Pahang.
They were arrested during raids conducted by the commission' Intelligence Division in Bukit Goh on Thursday (Nov 14).
The officer is alleged to have received bribes in return for protecting the operations since 2022.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said over RM26,000 in cash and three mobile phone units were seized from the suspect for investigations under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009.
He said the activity of unloading mining products at Bukit Goh was believed to be done without complying with legal procedures where permission was only given to unload existing products that had been excavated before 2022.
"However, the investigation found that they were also carrying out the work of unloading newly excavated minerals and to protect this activity, some lorry operators involved in the transport of mineral materials had paid bribes to the officials of the agency.
"The bribe money was in return for protecting and not taking enforcement action against the activities involved," he said, adding that MACC is currently still in the investigation stage to identify the amount of corruption involved.
Azam said following the raid, MACC had conducted an inspection at a storage location for the mineral products in Jabor, Terengganu on the same day.
"At this location, a total of five machines namely four excavator units and a shovel loader in addition to seven transport trucks including five dump trucks have been handed over to the Terengganu Land and Mines Office (PTG) for confiscation under Section 425 of the National Land Code Act 1965.
"In addition to the seizure at the location involved, a total of eight tipper units were also seized under Section 82 of the Land Public Transport Act (APAD) 2010 and handed over to the Road Transport Department (JPJ) as they were believed to be carrying loads exceeding their permitted capacity during an inspection at an intersection in Gebeng," he said.
The three suspects aged between 30 and 50 years old have been remanded for six days until Nov 19 to assist in the investigation under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009.
