SINTOK: The number of civil servants arrested on suspicion of corruption in Kedah has increased by nine cases this year compared to last year, Kedah Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) director Datuk Ahmad Nizam Ismail said.
As of this month, he said 31 civil servants had been detained compared to 22 arrests reported in 2023.
He added that the figure accounts for more than half of the total 50 arrests made by the Kedah MACC throughout this year.
"Arrests involving private sector employees decreased to nine individuals compared to 26 last year. In addition, we have also detained 10 members of the public this year compared to two last year.
"Overall, the total number of arrests made as of November this year matches the number of arrests during the same period last year, which was 50," he told reporters after attending the 2024 Anti-Corruption Day celebration and National Integrity Month at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) Islamic Centre today.
At the event, Perak MACC director Datuk Ahmad Sabri Mohamed, the Perlis Immigration Department's Enforcement Division chief Rosli Issak and the deputy president of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Organisation (Pakar) appeared as panel members in a forum to raise awareness among youth about the dangers of corruption.
Nizam added that the number of formal complaints received by the Kedah MACC also rose to 61 this year compared to 42 last year.
"However, information related to corruption cases declined to 163 this year compared to 186 last year.
"The number of investigation papers opened this year increased to 46 compared to 35 last year."
A total of 16 charges have been brought forward involving all corruption cases this year. Out of these, six cases have resulted in convictions," he said.
He added that most cases prosecuted in court this year involved offences under Section 165 of the Penal Code, pertaining to receiving or agreeing to receive any valuable item without due consideration to the offenders' official duty."Seven cases have been prosecuted under this section.
The second most common charge was under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009 for soliciting, receiving, or agreeing to receive bribes as an inducement or reward for performing or abstaining from performing any act or transaction, with six cases filed," he said.