Ex-special officer to minister arrested over RM25,000 bribe request for citizenship application

KUALA LUMPUR: A former special officer to a minister was detained by graft busters for allegedly asking for a RM25,000 bribe in exchange for getting an approval letter on a citizenship application.

The man, in his 40s, was detained at about 5pm at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters on Tuesday (July 11).

Sources said the suspect is a former special officer to a minister in 2019.

"He had asked for a bribe from a local man, who had applied for citizenship for his child.

"In June, the suspect had contacted the individual involved, who had applied for his child's citizenship since 2015.

"The suspect informed the individual that the approval letter was with him and he asked the individual to pay him RM25,000 before handing over the letter," the source said.

The suspect was detained following the call by the prime minister for the MACC to investigate further corrupt practices of some officers at the National Registration Department.

Magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin had allowed for the suspect to be remanded for three days until Friday (July 14) after the MACC applied for the remand order at the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court on Wednesday (July 12).

Meanwhile, MACC Intelligence Division director Datuk Azmi Kamaruzaman, when contacted, confirmed that the suspect has been detained under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009 to assist investigations.