KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested four invidiuals, including two private university lecturers, for allegedly soliciting and receiving about RM5mil in bribes.
An MACC source said that the two lecturers, an oil company officer and an engineering company director were arrested at the Perak MACC office between 2pm to 5pm.
They are believed to have solicited the bribes as an inducement for helping several companies to gain research projects and involvement in embezzling research funds at the university.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that the activities were conducted between 2019 and 2025. The officer and the company director are believed to have acted as proxies for both the lecturers to receive illicit funds.
"All suspects are believed to have conspired, while the two lecturers alledgely received the bribes in cash and through transfers to their personal bank accounts,” they told Bernama, adding that 70 bank accounts with a total balance of about RM8.5mil were frozen and seven vehicles were seized for further investigation.
Meanwhile, MACC Intelligence Division senior director Datuk Saiful Ezral Arifin confirmed the arrests when contacted and said that the case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(A) of The MACC Act 2009.
The suspects will be taken to the Ipoh Magistrate’s Court for remand application today, he added. - Bernama
