THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested a National Registration Department (NRD) officer for allegedly seeking a bribe amounting to about RM25,000 from an individual as an inducement to obtain an approval letter for a citizenship application.

MACC sources said the man, in his 40s, was detained at about 5pm yesterday at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya when he appeared to give his statement.

Putrajaya magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin this morning ordered the man to be remanded for three days until July 14.

It is believed that the suspect used to work as a special officer for a minister in 2019 before joining NRD.

Sources said the suspect had sought the bribe from a local man who applied for citizenship status for his biological son.

“Last June, the suspect contacted the individual who has applied for citizenship status for his son since 2015.

“The suspect informed that he already had the approval letter for the application and asked the individual to pay RM25,000 before handing over the letter,” a source told The Malaysian Insight.

The source said the arrest of the suspect was made as a result of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s disclosure last week that a small group of NRD officials were corrupt.

Following that, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said he would submit the name of an NRD officer, who is accused of corruption and abuse of power, to MACC.

MACC Intelligence Division director Azmi Kamaruzaman, when contacted, confirmed the arrest of the officer to assist the investigation under section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009. – July 12, 2023.