GEORGE TOWN: A bus ferrying 24 Road Transport Department (RTD) officers, who were detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for alleged corruption, caught fire this morning.
The bus was heading to the Penang High Court building here at about 9am when the incident occurred.
It is understood that the engine caught fire at the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu expressway here. No injuries were reported.
The detainees were later transported in 10 cars to the courthouse, where they arrived at about 10.40am.
The 24 RTD enforcement personnel and six other individuals were later remanded for seven days to assist in MACC's probe into an ongoing corruption case.
They arrived in orange MACC lock-up T-shirts and used their clothes to shield their faces from photographers.
The remand order was granted by Senior Assistant Registrar Nur Fadrina Zulkhairi. The proceedings lasted more than an hour.
“Three individuals who were detained yesterday, all women, have been released after having their statements recorded,” sources said.
It was reported yesterday that the MACC arrested 33 individuals, including 24 RTD enforcement personnel, for their alleged involvement in corruption by protecting lorry drivers who committed various traffic offences, particularly driving overweight lorries, in various parts of the state.
Those detained included 28 men and three women, aged between 31 and 54.
They were detained at the state MACC headquarters here between 10am and 4pm today.
Sources had said the RTD enforcement personnel, based at the state RTD office here, were believed to have accepted monthly payments of between RM10,000 and RM32,000 as an inducement not to take action against the lorry drivers.
“They had also leaked information on operations carried out by the RTD. They were personnel between the Grades of 19 and 32.
“The money received is believed to be for entertainment purposes for senior RTD officers,” sources added.
Sources had also said that no less than 75 RTD enforcement personnel were involved in receiving bribes from the owners of the lorry companies.
MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Seri Azam Baki, who confirmed the arrests, had said that yesterday’s arrest was the beginning of more arrests to come as investigations into the matter progress.
The case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.