SPRM

A plain-English guide to the MACC’s search and seizure powers, what counts as obstruction, where the limits lie, and how to prepare your team before, during and after a raid

A plain-English guide to the false claims offence under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, the everyday documents it covers, and how companies can spot fake, inflated and duplicate invoices

Whistleblower protection made headlines in Malaysia in early 2022. As described in the book, the MACC Chief filed a defamation suit seeking about RM10 million against journalist Lalitha Kunaratnam over her online articles alleging that he owned shares worth more than RM100,000 in various companies and had not declared them. The MACC also lodged a police report claiming her allegations were false and unverified. The action drew criticism from many quarters, since she was seen by some as a whistleblower.

From “upah” for roti canai to a spouse’s company winning a contract, a plain-English guide to the lesser-known offences under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and the court cases that explain them

When people think of corruption, they often picture a civil servant taking cash under the table. But much corruption happens entirely between businesses: a purchasing manager accepting kickbacks from a supplier, a sales team paying a client’s staff to win orders, or an agent leaking a rival’s bid in exchange for a secret fee.

To some, a bribe looks like a shortcut. Paying an official to make a problem disappear, or slipping money to someone to secure a contract, can seem quick and convenient. On paper, a RM100,000 bribe to win a RM1 million contract might even look like a good deal.
The reality is very different. Neither the bribe nor the benefit it buys is safe from the law. This article explains the hidden costs a company faces when corruption touches its business: contracts the courts will not enforce, arbitral awards that can be overturned, and a long list of financial, commercial and human consequences.

Corruption can happen in any organisation, big or small, and it is practically impossible to eliminate it completely. In a large company, decisions made by management are carried out by a long chain of employees. In a small company, decisions often rest with just one or two people. Either way, there are plenty of opportunities for bribery, whether sanctioned from the top or carried out on the ground to push decisions through.