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Malaysian deputy minister in bribery scandal

Malaysia's Anti-Corruption Agency is investigating a deputy government minister accused of accepting bribes to help free three suspected criminals, news reports said yesterday.

The agency said it was probing allegations on two anonymous Web sites that the deputy minister abused his power to free criminals detained under the country's Emergency Ordinance, the New Straits Times and the Star newspapers reported.

The ordinance, which allows detention without trial, is usually used for cases in which police have no evidence to formally charge the suspect.

It is frequently invoked against organized and violent crime gangs.

The politician, whose identity was being withheld by investigators, was allegedly paid at least 5 million Malaysian ringgit (US$1.4 million) by the suspects in detention to secure their release.

"We are still compiling further information and will be calling all those involved for questioning soon," the Star quoted the agency's investigations director, Mohamad Shukri Abdul, as saying.

According to the Star, Musa Hassan, Malaysia's inspector general of police, said on Saturday that several people had been released from detention under the ordinance, and that police will investigate the allegations on the Web sites.

The reports said the released suspects were believed to have been involved in gangsterism, and in operating illegal bookkeeping rings and illegal massage parlors.

One of the men had been ordered to be placed under restricted residence, which usually means someone is not allowed to leave a designated area.

The other two were held in prison.

More than 200 people have been held under the ordinance since January, the reports said.

A police spokesman declined to comment on the reports or provide further details.
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