MACC: 847 officers arrested for corruption over five years

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested 847 enforcement officers from various agencies between 2009 and August 2014 for corruption with 1,077 cases being investigated.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim said the number of arrests and prosecutions are low due to only few reports lodged.
He said MACC needs help from the people with information to come forward to assist investigations.
Razali said besides the arrests, MACC's efforts to curb abuse of power and corrupt practices continue in the form of enforcement, education and prevention and it includes the establishment of 14 special courts for corruption.
He said MACC is empowered by the MACC Act 2009 and it has sufficient enforcement power to curb the crime.
"The government does not have any plans to expand the enforcement power of MACC as there is sufficient power given under the Act, which also includes civil servants being investigated if MACC finds a case," Razali said.
He was responding to Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan (PAS-Kota Bharu), who asked the government to review the Act to increase MACC's power to automatically investigate civil servants who have in possession assets more than the income they have earned.
Razali said under Section 23 of the Act, MACC has the power to call any civil servant to explain their assets and income details if it is found to be beyond their means.
"This section can also be applied to those who are not government servants but this is different from the corruption Act in Hong Kong where civil servants with high wealth or assets face risks of action," he said.