KUALA LUMPUR: The two officers attached to the Malaysian Embassy in Bangladesh who were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for receiving bribes, were from the Immigration Department.
The Foreign Ministry in a statement said the duo who were nabbed by the graft busters were Immigration personnel previously working at the Immigration Attache Office at the Malaysian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Earlier, the MACC had announced that the officers were arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes to facilitate Overseas Visas applications and the entry of Bangladeshi tourists and workers into the country.
The suspects, a man and a woman, are being remanded for three days from April 18 to facilitate further investigation.
Magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin issued the remand order at the Putrajaya magistrate's court here on Tuesday.
A source close to the investigation revealed that the arrest was made after the MACC detected a number of suspicious financial transactions in the suspects' bank accounts and ordered them to return to Malaysia to assist in the investigation.
He said more than 20 bank accounts related to both suspects and several companies related to the case have been frozen.
"As of today, the freezing of accounts and seizure of movable/immovable property involves eight parcels of land estimated to be worth RM3.1 million," the source said.
Meanwhile, MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, when contacted, confirmed the arrest and said the case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 and Section 4(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering, Prevention of Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Illegal Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA 2001).
"I do not rule out the possibility of more individuals being arrested in due time in relation to this case."
Azam said MACC is also trying to locate an individual named Siti Liyana Sakijan to help in the investigation.
He urged those with information about the woman's whereabouts to contact MACC investigating officer Jayaraj Rajan at 016-6371082.