Twenty-seven police forest ranger recruits yesterday gained insight on the severity of punishments for accepting bribes during an anti-corruption talk at the Police Training Centre.
Pengiran Emran bin Pg Hj Metarsad, the chief investigator of the Anti-Corruption Bureau in his presentation said, “Bribes come in various forms. Bribes can often be dubbed as ‘Duit Kopi, Tumbuk Rusuk, Makan Suap and Songlau’.
In general, corruption is receiving or giving anything with dishonest intention as an incentive to act on an official task or for own-self or other parties.”
He warned government officials about the involvement in corruption by highlighting some of the severe punishments stated in the Prevention Corruption Act.
He emphasised that under section 6 (a), any officer or staff of the government who receives or try to receive bribes either for his own or on behalf of other parties with dishonest intention will face a maximum fine of $30,000 and seven years’ imprisonment while individuals who dishonestly give or try to give rewards to any officer or staff of the government will also face a maximum fine of $30,000 and seven years’ imprisonment.
Pengiran Emran also warned that government officers and staff convicted in court for corruption will lose their jobs and in turn, all their gratuities and pensions.
He also stated under Section 6 (C), falsification of document to the principal will face a maximum punishment of fine of $30,000 and seven years imprisonment if found guilty.
In relation to living a lifestyle beyond the means of income, he said that under Section 12, anyone who has become or has been an officer or staff with the public sector and are living beyond their means which is deemed inappropriate with their income will face a maximum fine of $30,000 and seven years’ imprisonment.
The chief investigator of the Anti-Corruption Bureau also reassured individuals who wish to become informants that their identities will be kept in utmost confidentiality. The protection of informers’ identities is under Chapter 30 of the Anti-Corruption Act.
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