KUALA LUMPUR: A series of large-scale investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has marked 2025 as a significant year in the government’s fight against corruption.
Several disclosures exposed leakages involving not only politicians, but also enforcement agencies and financial institutions, resulting in asset recovery, seizures and forfeitures totalling more than RM8.4bil as of Nov 30.
Among the most high-profile cases was an investigation into alleged corruption and money laundering involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, which led to the seizure of various foreign currencies worth more than RM169mil, along with 16kg of gold bars, from a safe house in early March.
The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court later allowed the forfeiture of the seized funds on Oct 1 after no party came forward to claim them.
The MACC also focused on Customs and the Immigration Department, conducting a series of raids at major entry points, storage depots and customs operational offices in several states.
The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) was also placed under scrutiny to ensure abuse of power within enforcement agencies is eradicated, in line with the vision and mission of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In Ops Airways, conducted at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) cargo area earlier this year, the MACC arrested 13 individuals, including six customs officers, over their alleged involvement in a vape smuggling syndicate. The operation also led to the seizure of 90,000 vape units, with unpaid customs duties estimated at RM5.4mil, from a raided warehouse.
Following the arrests, 12 bank accounts and several assets were seized, while key documents, including airway bills, purchase orders, payment vouchers, delivery orders, Electronic Pre-Alert Manifest (ePAM) documents and K1 forms, were also confiscated to assist investigations.
The MACC further launched Ops Rentas to combat corruption linked to the so-called counter setting cluster at KLIA, uncovering syndicates that allegedly allowed foreign nationals to enter the country without undergoing full immigration checks.
In August, two immigration officers holding KP1 and KP2 grades were arrested in coordinated operations in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan and Johor Bahru, Johor, for allegedly receiving RM400,000 to facilitate the entry of foreigners without proper inspection.
The following month, 27 individuals, including 18 enforcement officers, were also arrested for their suspected involvement in a counter-setting syndicate that enabled foreigners to enter Malaysia without complying with established procedures.
The suspects, comprising 19 men and eight women aged between 20 and 50, were detained in operations across Selangor, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan, which resulted in the freezing of 57 bank accounts valued at RM2.7mil.
Also seized were more than RM200,000 in cash, along with the confiscation of jewellery, gold pieces, cars, motorcycles, handbags, watches and telecommunication devices.
The banking sector was also not spared. Under Ops Tiger, carried out until November, the MACC arrested 49 bank officers and former officers for allegedly accepting bribes from law firms in relation to financial documentation management.
The case involved bribes totalling nearly RM700,000 and led to 249 charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.
Meanwhile, Ops Sky saw the MACC charge 16 individuals, including officers and former officers of banking institutions, seize approximately 4,000 documents and freeze 98 bank accounts involving RM17.4mil.
In August, the MACC also uncovered the leaking of military operational information to smugglers under Ops Sohor. Five senior officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), some of whom were members of the Malaysian Defence Intelligence Organisation (MDIO), were arrested for allegedly leaking sensitive information to smuggling syndicates operating from the Malacca Strait to Johor.
Another case that drew attention involved businessman Albert Tei and former senior political secretary to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, in connection with the approval of mineral exploration licences in Sabah, underscoring the Madani government's commitment to transparency and integrity.
According to MACC statistics, seizures totalling RM566.77mil were recorded under the MACC Act 2009, while RM6.26bil was seized under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA). Assets worth RM36.14mil were also frozen as of Nov 30.
During the same period, the MACC received 6,114 pieces of information, opened 966 investigation papers, arrested 1,128 individuals, filed 445 charges and recorded 189 convictions. - Bernama
