11 people including government servants have been arrested in relation to handing out ‘classic’ vehicle number plates.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), in close coordination with the Road Transport Department (JPJ), has dismantled a syndicate in Perak accused of falsifying official vehicle registration documents to illicitly transfer ownership of 16 highly coveted “classic” vehicle number plates.
The joint enforcement operation culminated in the arrest of 11 individuals, consisting of six civil servants attached to an enforcement agency and five civilian middlemen.
The suspects—comprising seven men and four women aged between their 20s and 40s—were taken into custody after reporting to give their statements at the Perak MACC headquarters in Ipoh. Following their detention, the suspects were escorted to the Ipoh Magistrates’ Court, where Magistrate authorities granted a remand order holding them until September 14 to facilitate ongoing investigations.
Six-Month Joint Intelligence Operation Unearths Bribery Network
The arrests represent the culmination of six months of covert intelligence sharing and digital record audits conducted jointly between the MACC and JPJ integrity divisions.
Preliminary findings indicate that the illicit activities took place primarily throughout 2025. Investigators believe the five civilian runners acted as commercial middlemen, sourcing buyers seeking vintage and single- or double-digit heritage vehicle registrations, which command substantial market premiums among luxury vehicle collectors and aftermarket plate brokers in Malaysia.
To execute the illegal transfers, the middlemen allegedly submitted falsified documentation containing fraudulent material particulars directly to colluding agency personnel. In exchange, the involved civil servants are suspected of accepting cash bribes to bypass statutory vehicle inspection protocols, manipulate administrative verification checkpoints, and officially alter vehicle ownership profiles on internal transport databases.
Investigated Under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009
Perak MACC Director Azizul Ahmad Sarkawi officially confirmed the arrests, noting that the case is being actively investigated under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. Under Section 18, it is a criminal offense for any individual to knowingly provide, submit, or utilize false or deceptive receipts, accounts, or documentation with the intent to mislead a public body or principal. If convicted, offenders face a maximum prison term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the false representation or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Azizul emphasized that the investigation remains active and wide-ranging. Forensic teams are auditing historical vehicle transfer logs to determine if additional vintage registration sequences were compromised, and authorities have not ruled out further arrests of public sector personnel or civilian beneficiaries in the coming days.
