THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained 44 people, including 32 Road Transport Department (RTD) officers and a traffic policeman, for allegedly protecting lorry drivers who committed traffic offences, particularly overloading and technical shortcomings of the lorries.

An MACC source said they, including a former traffic cop, were arrested in a massive sweep called Op Sukat in Kedah, Penang, Perak, Perlis and Malacca since yesterday.

“The modus operandi of the syndicate included non-enforcement action by the officers against the lorry operators for the traffic offences committed after receiving bribes that were put into their personal accounts or those of their proxies monthly.

“They are believed to have been receiving RM150 to RM3,000 a month with the total amount estimated to be about RM1.6 million,” said the source.

It is understood that the RTD officers are of various ranks, including senior officials, while the proxies are members of the public. 

The source said ring had been running since 2019.

Meanwhile, MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki, when contacted, confirmed the arrests and said the operation was the result of cooperation between MACC and RTD.

“The investigation is still going on and we do not dismiss the possibility of more arrests to be made,” he said, adding that the investigation focused on offences committed under Sections 16 and 17 of the MACC Act 2009. – Bernama, March 16, 2021.