JOHOR BARU, Oct 19 — A 31-year-old Malaysian man thought he could save his foreigner friend from the law by offering the police RM90,000 to keep quiet about a job scam syndicate operating out of a Taman Suria apartment here.

Instead, he was arrested, had his money confiscated and is now also in trouble with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

"The policemen warned the suspect to stop giving the bribe, but he continued to insist on giving out the money.

"The suspect was then arrested and the cash that he tried to hand over to the policemen was also confiscated,” Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said in a statement today.

"The case has been referred to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission for further action,” he added.

He related that the incident began last Monday after police raided a Taman Suria apartment on Jalan Tanjung Puteri suspected of being used as an illegal call centre offering fake online jobs and arrested the 31-year-old’s friend.

"During the raid, police also managed to arrest a 27-year-old foreign national and confiscated some equipment used to contact and deceive their victims,” the senior policeman said.

He added that police received a call seeking a meeting from the 31-year-old who claimed to be a friend of the 27-year-old.

"Upon meeting, the suspect offered the money and insisted the police took the cash before he was arrested for attempting to bribe them,” he said.

He did not explain why the police agreed to meet the 31-year-old.

Kamarul Zaman said the police are against bribery and will act against anyone who attempts to do so.