KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained five civil servants for allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes in exchange for not taking enforcement action against electric and electronic waste (e-waste) factories in a district in the south of the country.
According to an MACC source, the detention follows the recent arrest of 18 individuals believed to have solicited and accepted bribes related to the operation of the e-waste factories.
A six-day remand order starting today against all the suspects was issued by Magistrate Nur Affiqah Radhiah Zainurin, following an application made by MACC at the Magistrate's Court in Ayer Keroh, Melaka.
“All male suspects aged between 20 and 40 were detained between 7pm to 9pm yesterday at the Melaka MACC office while giving their statements.
"Preliminary investigations found that some of these civil servants accepted bribes ranging from RM1,000 to RM20,000 as a one-off payment in exchange for not taking enforcement action against these e-waste factories," said the source when contacted.
There were also officers involved who collected bribes amounting to RM12,000 monthly from these e-waste factories.
Meanwhile, MACC senior director of investigation Datuk Zainul Darus, when contacted confirmed the detention, saying the case is being investigated under Section 16 (b)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.
On Thursday (February 20), the police, in collaboration with the Department of Environment, launched a nationwide crackdown on illegal e-waste processing factories, involving a seizure value of RM3.8 billion for the period of January 1, 2024 to February 17, 2025.
— Bernama
