RTD OFFICERS ADMIT TO ACCEPTING BRIBES
Lorry owners also admit to paying them off monthly
ALL 24 Penang Road Transport (RTD) enforcement officers who were detained here on Tuesday have admitted to receiving protection money from lorry owners as inducement not to take action for overloading offences.
Even the lorry owners have admitted to giving the enforcement officers the bribes to avoid losses in their overhead costs.
This was the initial outcome as
investigations into the lorry driver protection racket intensifies.
Sources close to the investigation told the New Straits Times that the enforcement officers received the money via bank transactions.
“So, this was basically a ‘winwin’ situation for all. Those detained had also revealed that many of their colleagues, too, received the money for similar purposes. It is only a matter of time before the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) comes for them,” he added.
On Tuesday, MACC arrested 24 enforcement officers who came to the state MACC headquarters to assist in its investigation into the matter.
Also detained were nine individuals who acted as proxies, tontos and company owners.
Three of them, all women, have since been released, while the rest were remanded for a week beginning on Wednesday.
The source said the enforcement officers claimed they spent the money for their bosses’ entertainment.
“It’s a case of easy come, easy go between them and their bosses,” he said.
The NST learnt that MACC may freeze the accounts of those involved and that the anti-graft body may seize the assets of those involved.
The RTD enforcement officers, based at the state RTD office here, were believed to have accepted monthly payments of between RM10,000 and RM32,000 as inducement not to take action against the lorry drivers.
They had also leaked information on operations carried out by RTD. They were personnel between the grades of 19 and 32.
Sources close to the investigation said at least 20 more state RTD enforcement officers would be hauled up for questioning.
“MACC has reason to summon them for questioning as they believe that these officers too are involved in the lorry driver protection racket. It also has reason to believe that these officers received money from lorry owners to refrain from taking action against their lorry drivers,” said a source.
This, he said, was the next “phase” of the investigation, adding that there would be subsequent “phases”.
MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki confirmed the release of 23 enforcement officers on bail yesterday.