KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 29 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested a director of an advertising agency on suspicion of soliciting and accepting a bribe of RM92,500, allegedly in return for appointing a company to be a sub-contractor for the installation and maintenance of billboards around Paka, near here.

According to a source, the 60-year-old suspect with the unrecognised title of Datuk, received a bribe from the owner of the company appointed for the project worth RM2.5 million in 2020.

"We suspect that this project (in Paka) may not even exist, however, the (bribe) money was received by the suspect through a third-party account.

"The suspect’s company is said to have been offered the project through a federal ministry, covering the installation and maintenance of billboards throughout Malaysia,” the source told Bernama today.

The source added that the suspect and another man who acted as the middleman were arrested at their respective residences in Batu Caves, Selangor and Kuantan, Pahang, today.

Meanwhile, state MACC director Hazrul Shazreen Abd Yazid when contacted, confirmed the arrest and said that the investigation was being carried out in accordance with the MACC Act 2009.

Hazrul Shazreen said the two suspects will be brought to the Kemaman Magistrates’ Court tomorrow to obtain a remand order. — Bernama