Original Article: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/01/1367943/updated-massage-parlour-chain-paid-rm27m-annually-enforcement-personnel
PUTRAJAYA: A prominent nationwide massage parlour network allegedly paid at least RM2.7 million annually in bribes to enforcement officers to protect its illegal activities.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested five people, including four enforcement officers and a retired officer, for their alleged involvement.
Four of the suspects, three enforcement officers and the retiree were remanded for four days until Feb 2, after magistrate Ezrene Zakariah granted the MACC’s application at the Putrajaya magistrate’s court this morning.
According to a source, all five male suspects, aged between their 30s and 60s, were detained at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya between 5pm and 7pm yesterday while giving their statements.
“One of the suspects has been released on MACC bail, while the remaining four were brought to the Putrajaya magistrate’s court for a remand application.
“All the suspects are believed to have received bribes from a massage parlour business to facilitate its operations and to ease the process of obtaining foreign worker permits,” the source said, adding that statements have been recorded from 16 witnesses so far.
The source said MACC had also conducted searches at six locations around the Klang Valley, including offices and residences of the identified suspects.
“MACC has frozen 124 bank accounts belonging to individuals and companies, involving an estimated value of about RM13.3 million.
“The massage parlour network is believed to have used a dual-layer accounting system in which 80 per cent of cash sales were not reported, resulting in an estimated annual tax leakage of RM7.56 million,” the source said.
The source revealed that it was also suspected that about RM2.7 million a year was paid in bribes to several officers from multiple enforcement agencies, including local authorities, as ‘protection money’.
Meanwhile, MACC Special Operations Division senior director Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin confirmed the arrests when contacted, adding that the case is being investigated under Sections 16 and 17 of the MACC Act 2009.
He said investigators are also analysing and identifying elements of other criminal offences, particularly those related to money laundering activities.
It was reported earlier that five people were initially remanded as part of investigations into a corruption case involving enforcement officers and a major nationwide massage centre chain.
The MACC, through a TikTok post, said the remand orders for all suspects were issued by magistrate Ezrene Zakariah at the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court following an application by the anti-graft body on Jan 28.
Four suspects were remanded for four days until Jan 31, while one suspect was remanded for three days until Jan 30.
The suspects, comprising company directors and senior management of several business entities, aged between 30 and 50, were arrested yesterday in the Klang Valley.
The MACC has frozen 121 bank accounts, including personal and company accounts, with an estimated total value of RM11.5 million and 12 witness statements have also been recorded so far.
On Jan 27, the MACC’s special operations division conducted an investigation through a joint operation with the Inland Revenue Board into the massage chain, which has 32 outlets nationwide and is believed to have been operating since 2023.
Preliminary investigation also found that bribes were paid to enforcement officers and local authorities to facilitate company operations and as protection money.
Ian Chow Massage Therapy 