MACC finds online bribes difficult to detect

KUALA LUMPUR: Giving bribes with purchases made online is one of the corruption crimes hard to detect by the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC), it was stated yesterday.

MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull said the giver of the bribe will buy various goods on the web and send them directly to the receiver of the bribe as a reward.

“It makes it hard to prove this as a bribe,” he said to reporters after being interviewed on Bernama Radio at Wisma Bernama here.

Mohd Shukri also said that in addition to the online purchases, credit cards are also given as a reward.

“For example, the giver of the bribe will give a credit card to the receiver to use for shopping and so on. The recipient of the bribe will be given a credit card with a credit limit of up to RM50,000. If the limit is reached, the individual will be given additional credit,” he said.

Mohd Shukri also said that criminals now use a proxy account, making use of the services of a wealthy bank account holder.

“We have difficulty tracing the corruption in the account because the holder will surely be a wealthy person. There will be many transactions in the accounts of wealthy people,” he said.

Asked about the effectiveness of the existing laws in curbing corruption, Mohd Shukri said the laws are sufficient.

He said it is important for the MACC to be more prepared to deal with corruption and abuse of power because criminals are now more advanced in thinking how to escape from their actions.