KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 21): The Malaysian Bar says it will file disciplinary complaints against any lawyer or law firm implicated in the bribery cases involving bank officers, following reports that officers accepted commissions for directing customers to specific firms.
The Bar condemned the corruption, calling it a long-standing problem that undermines trust in both financial institutions and the legal profession.
“These revelations are a harsh reminder of a more profound and long-standing problem — nanah dalam daging — that has affected the legal industry for years. Such practices distort competition, erode professionalism and directly harm the economic well-being of honest lawyers who refuse to engage in corrupt arrangements,” Malaysian Bar president Mohamad Ezri Abdul Wahab said in a statement on Friday.
It warned that implicated firms and lawyers should not expect protection, as those involved may now cooperate with investigators.
The Bar reaffirmed its commitment to upholding integrity and public confidence in the justice system.
Bernama reported earlier this month that 49 current and former bank officers suspected of taking bribes from several law firms will be charged throughout November.
Sources told the national news wire that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has approval to prosecute, with cases to be heard in the Shah Alam Sessions Court. The officers allegedly received payments for appointing certain law firms to handle loan financing documents between 2018 and 2023.