GOMBAK, May 20 — The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has detected truck operators using special stickers believed to be intended to help their vehicles evade enforcement detection during operations in the Klang Valley. 

Sinar Harian reported JPJ Senior Enforcement Director Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan as saying that trucking companies are believed to have paid individuals or groups known as ‘tonto’ to monitor and relay the movements of enforcement teams.

“The group would tail JPJ officers once they go out for operations before relaying real-time location information to lorries carrying specific stickers,” he said at a press conference here today. 

He said the ‘tonto’ groups use communication devices to track enforcement officers, allowing the trucks involved to temporarily lie low until operations end before resuming their journeys.

“These lorries were also found to be using back roads to avoid detection and enforcement action,” he was quoted as saying. 

Muhammad Kifli issued a stern warning to truck operators against employing or engaging ‘tonto’ groups to shield their vehicles.

He said information on such activities would be handed over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for further action, including potential joint operations.

He added that JPJ will continue special operations on commercial vehicles nationwide to curb overloading, permit violations and technical non-compliance.

From 2024 to April 2026, a total of 2,580,954 commercial vehicles were inspected nationwide, with 415,846 vehicles taken action against for various offences under existing laws.

He said 45,986 notices were issued in 2024, increasing to 57,174 notices in 2025, while 14,885 notices were issued between January and April this year.

JPJ also carried out seizures involving 753 lorries for permit violations and offences under the Land Public Transport Act 2010.

Penang recorded the highest number of seizures at 133, followed by Selangor with 125 and Pahang with 101.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — The Sessions Court in Kangar, Perlis, today acquitted and discharged former Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli’s son, Mohd Syafeeq Mohd Shukri, 37, of a charge involving the submission of a false claim worth more than RM19,000, without calling for his defence.

According to a report published by Berita Harian, Judge Datuk Nu’aman Mahmud Zuhudi made the ruling after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the accused at the close of the prosecution’s case.

In delivering the judgment, Nu’aman said the court’s role at the end of the prosecution stage was to determine whether a prima facie case had been proven.

He said the court examined two main issues throughout the trial, namely the testimony and verification of witnesses regarding the case evidence, as well as whether the accused qualified as an agent.

“Therefore, after examining the testimonies of the witnesses, the court finds that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case for the charge.

“The accused is discharged and acquitted without being called to enter his defence, and the bail money is to be returned,” he said.

Meanwhile, defence counsel Mohd Fadhly Yaacob said the decision marked the end of his client’s two-year struggle to clear both his and his family’s name.

“This acquittal also clears the family’s name, as well as that of the former Perlis menteri besar, which had previously been affected.

“We are deeply grateful that after 11 prosecution witnesses gave convincing testimony, the court carefully considered all the facts and legal issues before deciding to acquit Syafeeq,” he said.

At the same time, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fariz Abdul Hamid said the prosecution would file a notice of appeal within 14 days to seek a review of the ruling.

According to the charge sheet, Mohd Syafeeq was accused of submitting a document containing false particulars involving a Perlis state government service supply order with the intention of deceiving authorities over a claim amounting to RM19,505.10 on February 14, 2024.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Minister Hannah Yeoh said she is seeking a high-level briefing from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) this week to get a full update on the investigation into the controversial alienation of land at the Batu and Jinjang flood retention ponds.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) said her office is arranging the urgent meeting to understand the outcome of the probe.

The issue gained national attention after it was revealed that the critical water bodies had shrunk by 70 per cent of their original size.

The Segambut MP stated that the briefing will involve all key agencies, including the Federal Territories Department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), and the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office, New Straits Times reported.

“We have contacted MACC to obtain a full briefing on the outcome of the investigation, and arrangements are being made to hold it this week,” Yeoh said at a press conference today after launching a new sprint track at SJKT Segambut.

The minister previously described the reduction of the ponds as a “foolish decision,” revealing last week that 17 land lots within the zones were transferred to private developers starting from 2015.

While MACC had reportedly found no element of corruption in the transactions, Yeoh indicated she was not satisfied and required a more detailed explanation.

Following the revelation, she ordered an immediate freeze on all development permissions for the remaining lots.

Yeoh has vowed to update the public and media on the matter after the briefing concludes.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating alleged discrepancies between bills of lading (BL) documentation and the actual physical movement of cargo within the petroleum supply chain at Tanjung Langsat Port in Johor.

Sources said the probe centres on alleged inconsistencies involving shipping documentation and cargo handling linked to transactions amounting to several million ringgit.

According to sources, a businessman bearing the title “Datuk Seri” met MACC officers at a hotel in Putrajaya on Monday at about 10.30am in relation to the complaint.

Further investigations by the relevant authorities are ongoing.

The development comes amid growing concerns within the maritime and commodity trading industry over mismatches between shipping documentation and actual cargo movement.

On May 13, Maritime Network Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Jeyenderan Ramasamy warned that discrepancies involving bills of lading and physical cargo movement were emerging as a growing operational and regulatory risk in the global shipping and commodity trading sector.

The maritime industry veteran, who has more than 30 years of experience, said many outside the industry underestimated the importance of the BL, despite its central role in banking transactions, insurance arrangements, Customs declarations, cargo ownership representation and sanctions compliance.

“The biggest risk for a shipping agent is when the physical cargo movement and the documentation stop aligning. Any mismatch between operational handling and paperwork could expose all parties in the chain, including shipping agents, to significant risks,” he said in a statement.

Jeyenderan said shipping agents may not own the cargo or be the beneficial parties involved in transactions, but they still face operational exposure because authorities, terminals and counterparties rely heavily on the instructions and declarations processed through them.

As a result, he said shipping agents are now placing greater emphasis on documentation integrity, internal compliance controls and know-your-customer (KYC) verification processes.

He said the issue becomes more complicated in complex oil trades, where shipping agents may receive different instructions from traders, receivers, terminals, forwarding agents and logistics providers that do not fully match the original BL.

“The moment different parties start operating from different versions of the cargo story, the risk level immediately increases because the agent still has to ensure consistency from a regulatory and operational standpoint,” he said.

On oil blending and commingling after discharge, Jeyenderan said such practices are not unusual in the industry, but maintaining traceability becomes increasingly challenging once cargo enters storage systems and mixes with existing inventory.

He said if cargo conditions change operationally through transfers, blending or additional handling, the documentation and classification process must also evolve accordingly to ensure proper regulatory and commercial treatment.

Jeyenderan warned that when Customs records, BL documents, tank measurements and actual cargo positions no longer align, the industry risks losing visibility over cargo movement, potentially leading to compliance gaps, commercial disputes and revenue leakages.

He added that post-discharge cargo handling involving multiple tank transfers and storage movements is one area requiring closer global scrutiny, particularly where documentary treatment may not keep pace with physical cargo changes, potentially affecting tax and regulatory mechanisms.

PUTRAJAYA, May 15 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will continue strengthening its strategic cooperation with the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), particularly in handling high-profile, large-scale and public interest cases.

Newly-appointed MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman said such cases would continue to be referred to the AGC as the authority responsible for determining legal action on investigations conducted by the anti-graft agency.

“I will do my best to lead, reform and strengthen the MACC,” he said in a statement today following a courtesy visit to Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar yesterday.

The visit marked Abd Halim’s first official engagement since assuming office on May 13.

Meanwhile, Mohd Dusuki expressed appreciation for Abd Halim’s decision to make the AGC his first courtesy visit as the new MACC chief commissioner.

“The AGC and the MACC are inseparable. The cooperation between us will continue,” he said.

Also present were the head of the AGC’s Trial and Appeals Division, Datuk Seri Saiful Edris Zainuddin, and the head of the AGC’s Prosecution Division, Datuk Masri Mohd Daud. — Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, May 14 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) confirmed it has received several documents and video recordings from former Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli to assist in investigations into alleged abuse of power and misappropriation involving government contracts worth nearly RM1.1 billion.

MACC Senior Director of the Investigation Division said Rafizi arrived with five lawyers and handed over printed documents and video recordings in a USB flash drive, believed to be related to ARM Limited UK.

“The documents were surrendered voluntarily to assist in the investigation being conducted against him (Rafizi),” he said in a statement today.

Mohd Hafaz said the MACC also recorded additional statements from Rafizi, and the process ended at 1.30 pm.

Earlier, the Pandan MP arrived at the MACC headquarters at about 10 am to continue giving his statement regarding the case.

Previously, Rafizi was called to give statements over four days to assist investigations into an investment case involving a strategic semiconductor industry cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Economy and ARM Limited, a company based in the United Kingdom.

To date, 22 witnesses have been called to assist in the investigation, including political analyst Chai Jin Shern, also known as James Chai. Two more witnesses, one in Taiwan and one in Malaysia, are expected to be called.

The MACC opened an investigation paper on Feb 16 after receiving complaints from three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who alleged the project agreement was rushed and biased, and could have a financial impact on the government.

The case is being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — Earlier Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation records into the Penang undersea tunnel project had indicated there was insufficient evidence against former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng before further investigations were carried out in 2020, according to The Star.

According to the report, MACC investigating officer Zulhilmi Ramli told the Sessions Court today that he had initially joined a task force in early 2020 to review earlier statements and documents linked to the project following a complaint lodged in 2018.

During cross-examination by defence counsel Haijan Omar, Zulhilmi agreed that, based on the materials reviewed at the time, existing statements and documents in the investigation papers were insufficient and required further clarification.

He also agreed with a suggestion by the defence that, as of June 2020, there was insufficient evidence against Lim.

Zulhilmi reportedly said that he only took over as investigating officer in June 2020, after several earlier officers had handled different investigation papers relating to the project.

The witness also agreed that internal minutes or memos in the investigation papers contained references indicating there was “no case” against Lim at the time and that investigations had earlier been halted pending further developments.

However, Zulhilmi disagreed with the defence’s suggestion that the investigation was solely focused on Lim, maintaining that the probe involved multiple individuals linked to the Penang undersea tunnel and three main roads project, The Star reported. 

He told the court he had reviewed earlier investigation papers containing statements from several witnesses and that further clarification was later sought from some of them as part of continuing investigations.

Lim, 65, faces charges of using his position to obtain RM3.3 million in gratification linked to the project, as well as a second charge involving an alleged 10 per cent profit from the project.

He also faces two charges related to the disposal of Penang government land valued at RM208.8 million to companies linked to the project.

The trial before Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi continues on June 4 and 5.

PUTRAJAYA, May 14 — Former Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli returned to the headquarters of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) here today to continue giving statements in connection with investigations into a government contract worth nearly RM1.1 billion.

Arriving at about 9.50am alongside his legal team, Rafizi said he would submit an additional 28 pages of documentary evidence to the investigators.

“I am voluntarily giving an additional statement to assist the MACC investigation so it can be aligned with other evidence that was not covered during questioning last week.

“This evidence includes reports from the media itself because the collaboration with Arm Holdings was not done quietly behind closed doors like the 1MDB scandal, but instead was widely reported by the media, with statements and explanations from senior national leaders, including three other senior government leaders who were involved,” he told reporters before entering the MACC headquarters.

Rafizi said he hoped the additional statement and evidence would help MACC conduct a more comprehensive probe.

“I think after my statement today, it will help the MACC determine who else needs to be called.

“And with all the more comprehensive evidence, I am confident the MACC can conclude that, based on my questioning so far, there are no elements involving money or suspicious transactions,” he said.

Rafizi had previously spent four days giving statements to assist in the investigation.

Former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki was previously reported as saying that investigations into the RM1.1 billion investment linked to a semiconductor industry strategic partnership agreement between the Economy Ministry and the UK-based Arm Holdings were now in the final stages.

So far, 22 witnesses have been called, including political analyst Chai Jin Shern, better known as James Chai. Two more witnesses – one in Taiwan and another in Malaysia – are expected to be summoned.

The MACC opened its investigation paper on February 16 following complaints by three non-governmental organisations alleging that the agreement had been rushed and skewed, potentially exposing the government to financial risks.

Meanwhile, Rafizi completed giving evidence to the MACC in about two hours, saying that it went smoothly.

“I think 10 to 15 additional pages of documents and evidence were submitted to the MACC, and I would like to thank the MACC investigating officers for confirming receipt.

“I hope this allows the investigation paper to be fully finalised, and the investigation can be carried out, taking into account witnesses or other people who need to be interviewed in this investigation.

“Ultimately, it is up to the MACC and the Attorney General to decide,” he told the media before leaving the MACC headquarters. — Bernama