KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained four more individuals suspected of accepting bribes in return for processing and approving personal loan applications submitted by a financial consultancy firm.
The four comprise two officers and two former officers of banking institutions aged in their 20s and 30s, sources told Bernama.
The two men and two women were detained at 4pm yesterday while providing their statements at the MACC headquarters.
They were remanded today for five days at the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court, with magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin granting MACC a five-day remand order until Jan 22.
“MACC received several complaints and information regarding bribery activities involving banking institution officers who facilitated and approved personal loan applications through a financial consultancy company.
“These banking officers are believed to have received bribes from the consultancy company, which prepared documents suspected of containing false information about clients applying for personal loans,” said the source.
Meanwhile, the same court extended the remand for five men previously detained, allowing for an additional four days until Jan 21.
Seven other individuals who had been remanded since Wednesday, have been released on MACC bail, the agency’s chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki also told Bernama.
The 12 individuals previously arrested led to MACC busting a syndicate that preyed on civil servants with bad debts to secure nearly RM700 million in bank loans from various financial institutions over the last five years.
The joint operation between MACC and Bank Negara Malaysia, dubbed “Ops Sky”, that bank officers and external financial consultants had collided to obtain personal loans by falsifying information on documents submitted to banks.
The syndicate profited from service fees and debt settlement charges.
The financial consultants would also “advance money” to the borrower or victim to pay off their debt, telling them to repay the advance after the bank loan is approved, and to place remaining funds after the “advance” is repaid in an investment scheme.
Azam said the case is being investigated under Section 16(b)(A) of the MACC Act 2009. – January 18, 2025