Two police personnel earlier rewarded for rejecting bribes from loan sharks have now been arrested for actually seeking the bribes.

The two corporals attached to the Kuala Muda police headquarters were detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission at about 2pm Tuesday, the New Straits Times reported.

The corporals, aged 24 and 37, had on April 11 arrested two men, allegedly loan sharks, in Sungai Petani and rejected a bribe of RM1,290 to let them go.

Following this, they were given letters of appreciation by Kedah police chief Asri Yusof for their honesty on May 31.

However, when the suspected loan sharks were released, they lodged a police report claiming the police personnel had solicited RM10,000 bribe from them, the daily reported.

Police then forwarded the case to the MACC as they "did not find any evidence" that the police personnel solicited a bribe.