The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has nabbed a federal agency officer based in Penang for alleged abuse of position involving a sum of RM42,472.

The individual, 58, who holds a director's position, was detained about 8am today under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 (abuse of power or personal gratification) at the commission's Penang branch along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah.

If found guilty of the offence, the accused faces a jail sentence of up to 20 years or a fine of five times the value of money solicited.

A statement issued by the MACC stated that the director had recommended his son's company for a state kindergarten project.

"The suspect will be remanded and brought to the George Town Magistrate's Court at 2pm today for further remand," MACC investigators said.

The arrest comes on the heels of the statement made by Penang state secretary Farizan Darus yesterday that the number of corruption cases involving the civil service was a shocking 35 percent or 115 out of the 325 corruption cases reported in the state last year.