KUANTAN: The state’s top cop has expressed disappointment after nine policemen were detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly accepting bribes in two districts in Pahang over the past week.
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said that if the claims against the policemen stationed in Temerloh and Kuantan are proven true, their actions have tarnished the reputation of the Pahang police contingent.
“I am saddened by their actions.
“We do not want the Pahang police contingent to set a bad example.
“These are unfortunate incidents that could have been avoided… they will face disciplinary action, including dismissal, if the allegations are proven.
“The department’s Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) will conduct its own internal investigations into the nine officers.
“We are currently waiting for MACC to complete its investigation,” he told reporters when met at the Kuantan police headquarters here today.
Earlier, Yahaya witnessed the handing-over of duties for the Kuantan police chief post.
Former Alor Gajah district police chief, Superintendent Ashari Abu Samah, has been appointed as the new Kuantan police chief, with the rank of assistant commissioner.
Meanwhile, Yahaya said all nine officers and rank-and-file personnel have been released on MACC bail.
“So far, the police have not taken any action against them or suspended them from duty.
“We are waiting for JIPS to conduct a probe on the matter,” he said.
Yahaya also called on all district police chiefs across Pahang to supervise their subordinates and uphold the department’s integrity.
“I urge district police chiefs to monitor the officers and personnel under their command. We must look out for one another and consistently uphold high standards of integrity within the department,” he said.
Yahaya was commenting on the recent arrest of 10 policemen, including a retired officer, by the MACC in Temerloh and Kuantan as part of ongoing investigations into several bribery cases involving drugs and ketum juice.
Nine of the suspects were detained in Temerloh, while the tenth was picked up at his workplace in Kuantan earlier this week.
In 2023, a former district police chief in Pahang claimed trial to 46 counts of bribery amounting to RM70,600.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
