Senior politician under probe

By Charles Lourdes, The Star

A senior politician is under investigation for allegedly engaging in money politics to ensure his election in the coming Umno polls in March.

It is learnt that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested 12 people in Pahang for allegedly accepting money from the senior politician, a former political secretary.

It is also learnt that the 12, aged between 30 and 50, were picked up by MACC officers from Putrajaya on Tuesday and yesterday for allegedly accepting between RM300 and RM500 each.

MACC director of investigations Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull confirmed the arrests but declined to elaborate.

Sources familiar with the investigations said the men detained were from Maran and Temerloh.

They said 11 were released after their statements were recorded, while the 12th was still assisting the MACC in investigations.

They also said the MACC is believed to have on its radar screen several others who are alleged to have accepted or offered money, and it was a matter of time before they were picked up to assist in investigations.

The arrest of the 12 is the latest action by the MACC, which has been aggressively investigating corrupt practices, especially those involving money politics.

The MACC is expected to charge a Perak Umno division deputy chief and two election agents tomorrow for allegedly giving bribes during division elections last year.

The deputy chief will face trial for allegedly giving a RM300 bribe during the election while one of the agents will be charged with giving a RM200 bribe to a branch delegate to support a certain candidate running for a division chief’s post in Pahang.

The other agent will be charged with offering a RM200 bribe in connection with a division chief’s post in Malacca.

All three will be charged under Section 10 (b) of the MACC Act 2008, the commission said in a statement here yesterday.