This follows the arrest of eight others yesterday to help in the investigation.

An MACC source said the two male suspects were a businessman and an employment agency owner, aged in their 30s and 50s, respectively. They were arrested between 10pm and midnight at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday.

“The businessman is being investigated for receiving more than RM1 million in bribes, while the employment agency owner is suspected of bribing a company that provided a platform for foreign worker applications,” the source said.

Magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin allowed the two suspects to be remanded for three days from today.

Yesterday, MACC arrested eight people, six of whom were remanded for three days until tomorrow. The other two – a man and a woman – were released on bail after their statements were recorded.

The eight included the CEO of an IT company in his 50s, who allegedly received bribes of between RM800 and RM1,500.

MACC senior director of investigations Hishamuddin Hashim confirmed the arrests.

In July, the human resources and home ministries agreed to allow foreign workers from 15 source countries to work in the manufacturing, construction and services industries.

The decision was reached following a meeting between the two ministries to discuss the recruitment of foreign workers and the freeze on worker recruitment announced by the Indonesian government.

Home minister Hamzah Zainudin said certain ministries were appointed to manage the recruitment of foreign workers in these industries, namely, the transport ministry for the recruitment of low-skilled workers in the land warehouse subsector, and the agriculture and food industries ministry for the bird’s nest industry.