Three traffic cops held for alleged extortion

Three traffic policemen from the Seri Alam district police headquarters have been arrested for allegedly extorting RM4,000 from a lorry driver at a roadblock.

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the three, all corporals aged between 32 and 39, were arrested on June 4 following a report lodged by the lorry driver.

"The case is being investigated under Section 384 of the Penal Code for extortion, which provides for a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine or whipping, or any of the two, upon conviction," he said at a press conference here today.

Ayob Khan said the suspects had stopped the victim for driving an overloaded lorry and demanded RM4,000.

He stressed that Johor police would take stern action against personnel involved in criminal activities or corruption, including referring them to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

"Normally, in such a case the three policemen could have been handed over to the Department of Integrity and Standards Compliance (JIPS) for investigation, but I asked the Johor CID chief to open investigation papers on the crime of extortion.

"I want them to be charged in court if there is enough evidence; no more internal investigation," he added.

Meanwhile, Ayob Khan said police arrested 60 individuals, aged between 15 and 26, under the Ops Samseng Jalanan from June 1 to 30 this year.

He said most of them were arrested in Johor Bahru and Batu Pahat, known as hotspots for 'mat rempit' in the state.

-- BERNAMA