44 individuals including 32 JPJ officers detained for protecting errant lorry drivers

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained 44 individuals including 32 Road Transport Department (JPJ) officers and a traffic cop for allegedly protecting lorry drivers who committed traffic offences, particularly overloading and technical shortcomings of the lorries.

An MACC source said they, including a former traffic cop, were arrested in a massive ‘Sukat Operation’ conducted in Kedah, Penang, Perak, Perlis and Melaka since yesterday.

“The modus operandi of the syndicate included non-enforcement action by the officers against the lorry operators for the traffic offences committed after receiving bribes that were put into their personal accounts or those of their proxies monthly.

“They are believed to have been receiving RM150 to RM3,000 a month with the total amount estimated to be about RM1.6 million,” said the source.

It is understood that the JPJ officers are from various grades including senior officers while the proxies are members of the public.

The source said their corrupt practice had been going on since 2019 until 2020.

Meanwhile, MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki, when contacted, confirmed the arrests and said the operation was the result of cooperation between the MACC and JPJ in efforts to improve integrity.

“The investigation is still going on and we do not dismiss the possibility of more arrests to be made,” he said, adding that the investigation focused on offences committed under Sections 16 and 17 of the MACC Act 2009.

-- BERNAMA