Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email 55 people arrested in 24 hours. The scandal in Puskapom is probably tip of the iceberg.
A total of 55 people, including 28 Puspakom staff, believed to be earning up to an additional RM1,000 each a day “in takings,” have been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) in a nationwide blitz between Tuesday and Wednesday.
The other 27 are agents or runners who are allegedly in cohorts with the centre’s traffic wardens and vehicle examiners, who allegedly carry out inspections on “problematic” vehicles without following standard operating procedures.
They also allegedly approved tests on vehicles without actually sending them for inspection.
ACA director of investigations Datuk Shukri Abdull said the agency had conducted an “intelligence-based investigation” for months, which had intensified over the past two months and led to the arrests.
Codenamed “Ops Compact,” Shukri said based on investigations, it was believed the culprits charged vehicle owners RM80 to give the thumbs-up when inspecting problematic cars; it cost RM400 to “pass” a vehicle’s inspection without it having to be sent to Puspakom.
“We are still investigating and we believe there will be more arrests made against those involved in this illegal operation,” he told a press conference on Wednesday.
The nationwide blitz began at 3pm on Tuesday and the last arrest was made at 2pm Wednesday.
