Business operators lodge report against MBPJ officers over alleged bribery

Several business operators in Paradigm Mall have lodged a report against Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) enforcement officers for soliciting bribes as an inducement not to issue summonses against them.

The report was lodged at the Selangor MACC headquarters today by one of the business operators, who also represented three others.

According to DAP Sungai Pelek assemblyperson Ronnie Liu, the operators paid between RM100 and RM200 to the officers on May 31.

On May 30, Liu said, several MBPJ enforcement officers approached the operators and notified them about the raid that would be carried out the next day.

"(The operators) were offered to settle (the matter) by paying RM100 to RM200," he told reporters.

As a result, four business operators chose to pay on the day the operation was carried out to avoid receiving summonses, Liu said, adding that the clampdown was against illegal business advertisements.

Others business operators who violated the law on advertisements were slapped with an RM1,000 summons.

Liu also claimed that two uniformed officers were caught on CCTV receiving money at one of the shops.

The video had gone viral on social media since June 14, and was viewed over 23,000 times since.

In the 13-second video clip, a man is seen stuffing something, purportedly money, in white paper and handing it over to a uniformed officer.

Liu said the complainant will also hand over the video clip to the MACC as evidence.

Despite appearing at Selangor MACC headquarters, the business operator who the lodged the report chose not to speak to the media.

Meanwhile, Liu (photo) urged local authorities to refrain from carrying out similar raids against business operators in shopping malls as this is likely to give an opportunity for bribery. 

While acknowledging that businesspersons are required to apply for permits, as stipulated under the advertising by-law, he said, the same by-law also gives local authorities the discretion not to enforce it.

This is because business operators in shopping centres often put up short-term advertisements from time to time, including promotions on Father's Day.

"Usually they don't apply (for permits) as they are already in the shopping centres," said Liu, the Selangor DAP secretary.

"The local government should be concerned with the welfare of business operators and should be more business-friendly."

Liu said he will meet Petaling Jaya mayor Mohd Sayuthi Bakar to follow up with the case.

He also hopes the summonses slapped against the business operators can be cancelled.

In an immediate response, Selangor exco Ng Sze Han (photo) said an internal probe would be carried out against the enforcement officer who allegedly received the bribe.

The officer is barred from going out for duty, he said in a statement today.

The Selangor government has also instructed MBPJ to give its full cooperation to the MACC, he added.

"We will not compromise over any act of corruption, misappropriation and abuse of power in the state."

"Those who receive and offer bribes are equally wrong. The public is advised to lodge reports immediately if they know about such acts," he said.  - Mkini