Registrar of marriages among three remanded in graft probe

KANGAR: A government officer was among three men remanded for five days, from today, over bribery allegations involving almost RM1.2 million, to register the marriages of Malaysian couples who had tied the knot across the border without having through the prescribed procedures.

According to a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) source, the remand order against the three was issued by Magistrate Ana Rozana Mohd Nor after allowing an application by the MACC at the Kangar Magistrate's Court today.

The source said that the first suspect, in his 50s, who worked as a registrar of marriages, was arrested between 4 pm and 7 pm yesterday at his office, while the company owner, in his 20s, and his father, in his 50s, were arrested at around 6 pm yesterday, when they appeared at the MACC office to have their statements recorded.

The source said that the first suspect is believed to have received more than RM1.18 million in bribes from the owner of the company, to enable a couple, who tied the knot in Thailand, to register their marriage at the religious department in Perlis without going through the prescribed procedures.

"This first suspect is believed to have been dealing with the owner of the company through the father, who acted as a middleman. The suspect is believed to have committed the act from 2022 to 2023, and received bribes amounting to more than RM1.18 million," said the source.

Meanwhile, Perlis MACC director Mohd Nor Adha Ab Gani, when contacted, confirmed the arrest, and said that the case was being investigated in accordance with Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.

-- BERNAMA