MACC Strengthens Cooperation With Brunei Anti-Corruption Bureau

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Brunei have agreed to strengthen their 20-year cooperation involving the anti-corruption agencies of the two nations to combat cross-border corruption. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed said, most of the criminal elements involving local and international syndicates bribed the Malaysian-Brunei authorities. "The cooperation is important so that cross-border crimes can be curbed, and we could ensure government officers at the borders displayed high integrity," he said. Abu Kassim was speaking to reporters after chairing a one-day meeting of 15 MACC senior officers and nine senior officers from the Brunei Anti-Corruption Bureau (BMR) here on Monday. BMR was led by its director, Juandi Rashid. Abu Kassim said successful operations to fight corruption at the borders involved states bordering Brunei, namely Sabah, Sarawak and Federal Territory of Labuan. He said, cross-border criminals involved those trafficking women from the Philippines and Indonesia, for prostitution; those smuggling oil from Brunei to Malaysia; and, smuggling individual vehicles without inspection from the respective transport departments of the two countries. Abu Kassim said MACC, in collaboration with BMR, had organised seven anti-corruption operations, beginning 2008, and had detained members of syndicates and enforcement officers at the borders. "We organised 'Ops Jarum' to cripple the practice of accepting bribes from oil smuggling syndicates from Kuala Belait (Brunei) to Miri (Sarawak), through the Sungai Tujuh border post. "Of the 34 detained, 21 officers from both countries were charged in court, while the rest were subjected to disciplinary action," he said. In Monday's meeting, MACC informed BMR of the amendment of the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act (Macma), which would be tabled in Parliament soon. Meanwhile, Juandi expressed confidence on MACC's ability and the cooperation of both countries to prevent elements of corruption in cross-border crimes. -- BERNAMA