Four Negri Sembilan JPJ officers face dismissal

By The Star

PETALING JAYA: Four Negri Sembilan Road Transport Department (JPJ) officers who are being probed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over allegations of power abuse will face disciplinary action including dismissal if they are found to have contradicted the Government service circular on the acceptance of gifts.

An investigations against them have been initiated by the JPJ pertaining to the collection of contributions for the department’s dinner.

JPJ director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan said the Transport Ministry and the department considered the collection of contributions from the public as a very serious matter because it contradicted the Service Circular on “guidelines on the giving and acceptance of gifts in the civil service”.

“As a result, we have initiated investigation with the purpose of taking disciplinary action based on the provision under the Public Officers’ Regulations (Conduct and Discipline) against the officers,” he said in a statement. He said if it was found that an offence had been committed, disciplinary action including dismissal under the Regulations could be taken against he four officers.

It was reported that the department had transferred its Negri Sembilan director Kamal Saad within 24 hours last Friday.

Deputy director Saiful Nur has been appointed as acting head.

Kamal is due to retire in 2012.

The officers and several others believed to be their runners are being probed by the MACC for allegedly soliciting up to RM660,000 from individuals and companies to fund a department dinner.

They allegedly raised the money between June and October under the department’s Sports and Welfare Club.