RM20 million graft: Kedah MACC detain another two suspects

Kedah Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) detained another two suspects, including a man with the ''Datuk'' honorific title to facilitate investigations into a bribery case involving over RM20 million relating to the work permits of expatriates and foreign professionals.

According to sources, the contractor with a ''Datuk'' honorific title, aged 53, was arrested at the KL International Airport (KLIA) at about 11pm yesterday while another suspect, aged 37, was arrested at a house in Petaling Jaya at 9.30pm on the same day.

Both suspects are construction contractors and owned a car wash centre in Penang and Kedah believed to be acting as the asset guardian to the prime suspect, a 37-year-old senior officer at the Padang Besar Immigration in Perlis, who was arrested on Monday.

Kedah MACC director Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mohamad confirmed the arrest of the two suspects.

Both suspects are remanded for seven days from today to facilitate investigations being conducted under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act 2009.

The latest arrests brought the total of suspects detained so far to five people.

On Monday, three men, including two senior Immigration officers working in Padang Besar, aged 37 and 34, as well as a 48-year-old contractor were arrested in connection with the bribery case.

They were arrested in Perlis and Alor Setar on suspicion of accepting bribes to approve the employment pass for the recruitment of expatriate skilled workers and professionals involving 339 applications and 18,626 passes that had been approved since 2015.

Following the arrests, MACC seized cash worth RM1.9 million, five luxury vehicles, a high powered motorcycle, wrist watches, handbags and fixed deposits of nearly RM1 million.

-- BERNAMA