MACC detains two top Malacca mosque officials for alleged bribery

PETALING JAYA: Two top committee members of Masjid Al-Hamideen in Malacca have been picked up by anti-graft officers over allegations of bribery.

The amount involved was about RM116,000 when both suspects were still holding the positions of chairman and secretary of the mosque.

Sources said the suspects, aged 61 and 46, were said to have accepted the bribes to dispose of a piece of land (tanah wakaf) in Kampung Bukit Cina belonging to the mosque to a non-Muslim.

Under the law, non-Muslims are not allowed to acquire such designated plots of land near a prime area.

Both suspects were summoned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) office in Malacca at about 7pm on Tuesday to have their statements recorded over the case.

They were detained shortly after and will be investigated under Section 16 (a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009 and Section 405 of the Penal Code.

MACC director of investigations Datuk Simi Abd Ghani confirmed the arrests and said that both suspects would be held overnight at the MACC office in Malacca and would be taken to court on Wednesday to be remanded.

Initial investigations showed that the alleged offence was said to have been committed in 2012.

Both suspects were said to have accepted the bribes and disposed of the land - placed under their charge as senior officials of the mosque - for personal gains.