The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained three more people, including a woman, yesterday, believed to be involved in the payment of bribes to cover up illegal bauxite mining activities.

This brings the total number of people arrested over the bauxite issue to seven. Four were arrested on Thursday.

MACC investigations division director Azam Baki said the three, aged between 44 and 50, were arrested separately around Kuantan between 4pm and 11.55pm.

"They are believed to have acted as middlemen in the illegal sale of mineral ore transfer documents or the 13D Form to unlicensed miners," he said in a statement today.

Azam said all the suspects were being remanded for seven days, beginning today, to facilitate investigations under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.

He said the MACC was still conducting investigations to trace those who were involved in corruption that resulted in illegal mining activities, which had accumulated an estimated total of RM187 million in royalty lost last year.

"MACC urges the public to provide information to the commission on individuals involved in paying and receiving bribes concerning illegal bauxite mining," he said.

Meanwhile, a source said MACC was in the midst of tracking down several more officers from the Pahang Land and Mines Office in relation to corruption involving bauxite mining.

- Bernama