KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Five senior Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) officers arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in August for allegedly leaking military operational information to smugglers have been removed from operational duties.
Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari said the officers have been assigned to their respective administrative headquarters pending investigations by both the MAF and authorities.
“We are firm in ensuring the investigation is conducted fairly. If they are found guilty, legal action will be taken because our priority is integrity. However, if proven innocent, they will be reinstated to operational duties,” he said during Minister’s Question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Khlir Mohd Nor (PN-Ketereh) on the Defence Ministry’s damage controls to restore public confidence following media reports about the sale of the country’s tactical security information by MAF officers to external parties.
Adly said the ministry is cooperating with the authorities and has established an internal investigation board to look into the alleged leaks.
“To rebuild public trust, the ministry, through the MAF, continues to emphasise security awareness and procedural compliance, strengthen integrity units across all formations and services, and enhance education programmes on security, ethics and integrity among MAF personnel,” he said.
In August, Chief of Defence Forces Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar said several MAF personnel arrested around the Klang Valley during the MACC’s Op Sohor are believed to have leaked information to smuggling syndicates operating in the Malacca Strait and Johor waters.
