Probing on all fronts
It is not just the big guns who are on the MACC radar. Due to public rumblings, the graft busters have reopened investigations into the controversial condo project in Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur and getting to the bottom of the allegedly crooked JPJ deals in Penang. It is also looking into the Mindef land scandals involving losses of RM500mil.
PETALING JAYA: A lorry protection racket involving Road Transport Department (JPJ) personnel has been uncovered after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested 24 personnel last month.
The graft busters are now conducting investigations to put an end to the racket.
It was reported that the personnel from the Penang JPJ branch were arrested on April 16 along with several civilians who acted as proxies and middlemen, as well as company owners.
This was the first round of arrests. Subsequently, 68 JPJ officers and personnel, two former Land Public Transport Commission officers and nine civilians were also arrested to assist in the probe codenamed Ops Sarat.
Previous reports, citing sources, said the enforcement officers were believed to have received monthly payments between RM10,000 and RM32,000.
The payments were inducement for the JPJ enforcement officers to avoid taking action against lorry drivers who committed road offences.
The payments were also for tipoffs, which the companies and drivers received to alert them about JPJ operations.
Sources also said those who had paid the “protection” money would be given special logos to display on their windscreens for JPJ personnel to identify them.