The Johor state government has denied any involvement by its administration, including state executive councillors and officials, in the arrest of a man suspected of soliciting and receiving bribes as well as abusing his position over government housing plot applications.
According to Bernama, the State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor urged all parties not to speculate or link the case to the state administration, saying there would be no compromise against those exploiting public housing matters for personal gain.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure more Bangsa Johor have access to affordable housing. A trust this significant must not be tarnished by a few individuals willing to exploit the hopes and hardships of people seeking to own a home,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Mohd Jafni said the state remains committed to delivering 30,000 Johor Affordable Housing Scheme (RMMJ) units by the end of the year, with more than 21,000 units already completed and handed over.
The initiative, he said, is being carried out with a focus on transparency and integrity as part of the state’s homeownership agenda.
He also urged the public to use official channels to report any demands for unauthorised payments to the authorities.
The Johor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had earlier detained a man in his 40s who was a housing committee chairman of a statutory body in the state.
The suspect was arrested at about 7.30pm yesterday and is being investigated over alleged offences committed between 2016 and 2025 involving applicants for government housing plots.
Initial investigations found that he allegedly solicited RM4,000 from each of about 400 applicants, involving around RM1.6 million. The money was allegedly misappropriated for personal use through withdrawals from the committee’s bank account using false invoices.
