KOTA KINABALU: Sabah policemen have been warned to stay clear of graft and criminal activities.
The message was put across following investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on some 40 policemen, including one with the title ‘Datuk’, allegedly involved in laundering millions of ringgit earned by vice syndicates in Malaysia.
MACC Sabah director Jalil Jaaffar said his department would not hesitate to conduct investigations on Sabah policemen if there was reason to suspect their involvement in graft or criminal activities.
“Investigation cases can be opened anytime if there is a complaint or simply from the initiative of our officers,” Jalil said when contacted in the national capital yesterday.
“And if there is any reason to do so, we will not hesitate to conduct investigations on policemen,” he added.
Meanwhile, Jalil said MACC Sabah had opened several investigations on policemen in the past, adding that some were heard in court.
“Yes, there have been several successful cases where corrupt policemen have been prosecuted and sentenced to jail.
“We will conduct investigations on anyone if there is sufficient information to open a file and those who wear
the uniform are no exception,” said Jalil.
A senior police officer in Kuala Lumpur is just one of 40 policemen being investigated for laundering millions of ringgit earned by vice syndicates in Malaysia, sources told a news site recently.
It is learnt that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has widened its investigations to include money laundering and corrupt practices by several dozen policemen across the country.
It could not be immediately confirmed if Sabah police were among those being investigated.
MACC, however confirmed on Dec 26 that a senior police officer with the title ‘Datuk’ had given a statement, apparently over a RM6 million money laundering case.
MACC director of investigations Datuk Mustafa Ali said the police officer had given his statement at the MACC Putrajaya office a week before.