KUCHING: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested 45 people in 2013 with 17 coming under Section 17(B) of MACC 2009 Act for offering bribes.
MACC state director Datuk Bahari Mohammad Zin said the number arrested was less than in 2012 when 51 were arrested for giving bribes.
“I believe the decline is because the public are more aware that they would not get away with the unlawful act,” he said when officiating at the MACC Invitational Meet Shooting Competition at IPK Target Range Kuching yesterday.
Bahari revealed that in 2014, the number of people arrested as of March 21 were 15 with 11 coming under Section 17(b).
“In the open paper investigation by MACC Sarawak, the number of people arrested were 95 in 2012, 69 in 2013 and 20 in 2014 and the number of information received were 693 in 2012, 533 in 2013 and 110 (as of March 21 this year).
“The commitment and success of MACC relied heavily on us working with government agencies and with the commitment of the people from various communities,” he said.He said MACC had been fighting corruption and getting people to be more aware of this wrongful act in the last few years.
Bahari hoped heads of government agencies continue to be responsible in inculcating integrity and the anti-corruption spirit to their officers.
It is compulsory for government servants to report all sorts of corruption under Section 25 (1) of the MACC 2009 Act and those failing to report receiving bribes can be fined not more than RM100,000 or jailed not more 10 years or both.
Bahari’s text of speech was read by his deputy Wan Mohammad Wan Drahman officiating at the event on his behalf.