In a shocking development, a medical assistant officer and four nurses from a local health center in Sabah have been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly submitting false overtime (OT) claims amounting to RM146,000.

The arrests were made yesterday (September 10) at approximately 9.40 a.m., according to a report by Buletin TV3. The four women and one man, all in their 30s, were apprehended while providing statements at the MACC office in Sabah.

The suspects are believed to have submitted fraudulent claims for overtime work that was never performed, dating back to 2020 and 2021. Initial investigations indicate that the false claims were submitted over a two-year period, despite no actual overtime having been carried out during that time.

Sabah MACC Director, Datuk S. Karunanithy, confirmed the arrests and stated that the case is being investigated under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009. This section addresses offenses involving the submission of false documents for fraudulent purposes.

Following their detention, all five suspects have been released on MACC bail, but their legal battles are far from over. They are scheduled to face formal charges this Thursday at the Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court.

The case has raised concerns about integrity within the healthcare sector, especially during a time when resources are already stretched due to the pandemic. Authorities have vowed to take strict action against any form of corruption, particularly within public service sectors.

Further details are expected to emerge during the court proceedings later this week.