All three were from the Penang Zakat Centre.
“The three men, aged between 33 and 49, were arrested about 4.30pm at the zakat centre at Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam,” Penang Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) director Abd Aziz Aban said today.
MACC had arrested a total of 12 people, including key management figures from the Penang Zakat Centre, and eight “Penang zakat community development” contractors, aged between 30 and 52, on May 9 and 10.
Nine suspects have been released on MACC bond to date.
The contractors were alleged to have been given contracts for “community development” programmes under the zakat centre.
In turn, they are alleged to have paid “profit money” or kickbacks to a 50-year-old Datuk, who is a top official at the centre.
The MACC believes the racket has been operating from as early as 2013.
It was also revealed that the Datuk had approved yearly study loans for his child and obtained advance money, bypassing procedures to put his offspring in college.
The suspects arrested were investigated under Section 17 of the MACC Act 2009.
Under this section, it is an offence for a person to accept, obtain, give or offer any gratification as an inducement for doing something.
If found guilty, they may be jailed for not more than 20 years and fined not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification received.