ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested three men, including a political activist in Kedah on suspicion of soliciting and accepting bribes from a celebrity preacher.

A four-day remand order on the trio, effective until Saturday (Nov 9), was issued by Magistrate Siti Nor Hasliza Md Ali after the MACC filed an application at the Magistrate's Court here on Wednesday (Nov 6).

According an MACC source, the suspects, aged between 30 and 50, were detained between noon and 5pm on Tuesday (Nov 5) during an operation in the Bedong area and at the Kedah MACC office here.

The suspects allegedly sought the bribe to assist in resolving a money laundering case involving the preacher, which is currently under police investigation.

"Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects conspired to demand RM150,000 but only received RM20,000 in cash from the preacher," the source said.

Meanwhile, Kedah MACC director Ahmad Nizam Ismail confirmed the arrests and said the case is being investigated under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009. – Bernama