CYBERJAYA: The “counter setting” probe involving enforcement officers accused of taking bribes to ease the entry of foreign nationals into the country will complete soon, says Tan Sri Azam Baki.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner said the number of individuals detained over the case has remained unchanged.
MACC had detained 30 individuals – including 18 enforcement officers – in a nationwide operation codenamed Ops Rentas.
“The investigation is being completed and there have been no new arrests so far. I have instructed my officers to expedite the investigation within the next three weeks.
“After that, should there be any further developments, whether charges are brought or not, I will inform the public,” he told reporters at the eighth anniversary of the Malaysian Corruption Watch at Multimedia University here yesterday.
Previously, Azam revealed that officers implicated in the scandal were receiving between RM1,800 and RM2,500 in bribes for each foreign national allowed entry into Malaysia.
These bribes are said to be paid either in cash or through mule accounts, with officers allegedly pocketing between RM10,000 and RM50,000 a month, depending on the number of foreigners released.
Investigators are also examining the financial records of family members and associates of those detained.
Separately, Azam confirmed that MACC has widened its investigation into former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s alleged foreign assets to include Switzerland.
This is in addition to the ongoing cooperation with the United Kingdom’s International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC).
“We are still collaborating with UK authorities, among them the IACCC, which is assisting us should there be any assets involving Dr Mahathir.
“There is no development yet. At the moment, (we are looking) at the two countries: the United Kingdom and Switzerland.”
The MACC’s cooperation with the United Kingdom follows a Mutual Legal Assistance agreement signed with the National Crime Agency in December 2024, covering asset recovery and anti-corruption measures.
Dr Mahathir had dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, claiming the probe was a deliberate attempt by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to delay a defamation suit he filed in 2023.
