MACC TO PROBE TOP RTD MEN
How could high-ranking officers not know what their ‘boys’ were up to?
THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) believes highranking Road Transport Department (RTD) officers may have been involved in the lorry driver protection racket in which 24 of the state department’s enforcement officers were
arrested on Tuesday.
Sources told the New Straits Times that the high-ranking officers would be probed for failing to monitor their “boys”.
“This is not a case of involving one or two enforcement officers but 24 and still counting. So, how is it that the high-ranking officers did not know what their boys were up to?
“Were they also involved, and were willing to turn a blind eye? We will definitely look into this possibility,” one source said.
The source said the arrest of the RTD officers was just the beginning of a series of arrests to be made in coming weeks.
“There will certainly be more arrests next week, this time possibly involving high-ranking officers.
“So they (those identified to have been involved in the racket) had better fasten their seat belts,” he added.
The source also said the protection racket came to light after some enforcement officers, who were supposed to receive their share of the pie, did not get anything, prompting them to tip off the commission.
Another source said around 75 RTD enforcement personnel were believed to be involved in receiving bribes from the owners of the lorry companies.
MACC had arrested 33 people, including the 24 state RTD enforcement personnel, for their alleged involvement in corruption by protecting lorry drivers who committed traffic offences, particularly driving overweight lorries, in the state.
They were detained at the state MACC headquarters here on Tuesday.
The officers were believed to have accepted monthly payments of between RM10,000 and RM32,000 as an inducement not to take action against the lorry drivers.
They had also leaked information on operations carried out by the RTD.
They were personnel between the Grades of 19 and 32.
On Wednesday, the magistrate’s court here granted a seven-day remand order for 30 of the 33 arrested.
Three women were released after having their statements taken.
When contacted, MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner of Operations Datuk Seri Azam Baki confirmed that more arrests would be made.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the ministry has long been aware of the corrupt practices among RTD enforcement officers, but no action was taken as there was no evidence against them.
“MACC needs comprehensive planning and investigations to obtain evidence on these activities.”