PUTRAJAYA: A Federal ministry assistant enforcement officer has been remanded for six days today to facilitate a graft probe.
The 57-year-old man was detained by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday for allegedly accepting a bribe of RM468,000 from a rice wholesaler company, to obtain the Super Tempatan 15 per cent (ST15) rice quota from the Agricultural and Agro-Based Ministry.
A source said the suspect was believed to have received the bribe in 2015.
"He was taken to the MACC office at 10am to have his statement recorded, and was later arrested at 9.20pm."
"The MACC also seized RM10,113 in cash from a safebox in his office, and RM51,100 from the trunk of his car."
"The arrest was made following the alleged corruption and abuse of power case linked to Rural and Regional Development Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Arif Ab Rahman," the source said.
He is being investigated under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act 2009.
The government officer, handcuffed, arrived at the Putrajaya Magistrate's Court at 9.15am.
He was escorted by the MACC officer, with his hands covering his face.
The remand order, which ends on Jan 24, was issued by magistrate Nik Isfahanie Tasnim Wan Ab Rahman.