ACA probing 82 cases of money politics

The Anti-Corruption Agency involving money politics with charges of bribery taken against some of the culprits and others referred to yhe respective partive party,s disciplinary boards.
Its director-general Datuk Ahmad said Hamdan confirmed that the agency had received som 280 reports of which 82 cases had basis for the ACA to conduct investigation.
"If there is sufficient evidence then we will take action by either bringing them to court or referring them to their respective disciplinary boards," he told reporters in Alor gajah after closing the agency's training course for 87 investigatig officers yesterday.
Ahmad Said did not name the political affiliation of those under investigations and stressed that the agency didi not label such cases as one of money politics but simply as bribery.
For the ACA, there is no such thing as money politics as anything to do with a bribe is considered corruption,he added.
Meanwhile, Ahmad said that the agency had received 14,817 reports as of Nov 19 compared to the estimated 13,900 reports for the whole of last year.
He noted that the increase in the number of reports is a good indication that the public supports the ACA's efforts to combat corruption and abuse of power.
He added that the agency is beefing up its manpower capabilities fromthe current 1800 officers to 2700 next year.
He said the agency hopes to increase ists strenth to 5,000 officers with plans to open up branches in Kuala Kubu Baru, Limbang and Gua Musang.
Ahamd Said also said the agency would be cracking down on syndicates involved with bribery and corruption, in partivular those with regard to illegal logging and enviromental degradation.