Graft-busters have arrested 12 Road Transport Department (JPJ) officers and personnel for corruption and abuse of power involving the issuance of some 14,000 ‘lesen terbang’.
‘Lesen terbang’ refers to the driver’s licence issued to those who did not take the required examination.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the 12 comprised of a deputy director, two assistant enforcement officers, two assistant enforcement chiefs, six enforcement assistants and one administration assistant from JPJ offices in Perlis, Perak, Negri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak.
Loke said the arrests were made from Sept 4 to date, and viewed the act of power abuse among ministry staff as a serious offence.
“The JPJ personnel have used their position and had succumbed to corrupt practices to issue driving licences without following procedure,” he said.
The JPJ staff had apparently – for a certain “fee” – used their position to help those wanting to get hold of a licence by using the conversion of foreign driving licence procedure.
The syndicate is said to charge between RM2,000 and RM3,500 per licence, and most of their “clients” are Malaysians and Chinese nationals.
Loke urged ‘lesen terbang‘ motorists to step forward before the authorities look for them.
“Volunteer and come forward with the ‘lesen terbang’ that you bought. We have your details and the data. Our system has all information of when, when and who, so it is not hard for us to reach you,” he said.