The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has detained eight medical assistants attached to the Queen Elizabeth 1 Hospital here for allegedly making false overtime claims.

Sabah MACC director Datuk Sazali Sabli said the seven men and a woman aged between 26 and 38, were picked up in an operation dubbed 'Ops Optic', beginning 10.25am today.

He said the suspects who served at the hospital's Ophthalmology Department were alleged to have submitted false overtime allowance statements totaling RM126,757.24 between January and May last year.

"They will be charged in the Kota Kinabalu Special Corruption Court tomorrow on 38 counts under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009," he said in a statement here.

Two of the suspects will also face 20 other charges under Section 28(1)(c) of the same Act.

-- BERNAMA