GEORGE TOWN: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) denied reports on social media that its officers surrounded the Air Itam police station before detaining five personnel on duty there early Saturday.

Penang MACC director Datuk M. Samarajoo said the raid was conducted according to the law and in accordance with standard operating procedures of the commission.

“MACC officers involved in the operation did not surround the police station as reported, neither did their act roughly against the police personnel who were detained, but instead, they entered through the main entrance, introduced themselves and presented their authority cards before detaining the five suspects,” he told Bernama.

Several social media reports reported Monday that the Penang MACC closed in on the police station before detaining five police personnel who were believed to have been involved in corruption.

According to media reports, those arrested during the raid at about 3am were believed to have been involved in a corruption case that involved a large sum of money.

Samarajoo said there was no struggle during the arrest, which included a woman, since all the suspects were cooperative during investigations.

“Actually, the matter (of surrounding the station) did not arise at all, and the raid was a regular operation carried out by the MACC after receiving a complaint. The raid was also not a special operation that had been planned earlier,” he said.

He urged the public to not speculate on the case and allow the MACC to investigate it under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act 2009.

Bernama reported on Sunday that four policemen and a woman constable from the Air Itam police station were detained during the raid and released after having their statements recorded.

They were alleged to have accepted money from a man to settle a car theft case. – Bernama