MACC charges four with graft, including Prasarana Bhd Rapid Penang COO

GEORGE TOWN: It was a busy day for the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) today as four people were charged with graft related offences here and nine were remanded in Kuantan.
One of them was Prasarana Berhad Rapid Penang COO Major (Rtd) Mohd Shukri Abdul Rahman, 54, who was charged with accepting an RM70,000 bribe at a bank in Penang Times Square on April 20, 2015.
He claimed trial to the offence where he was accused of accepting the amount from Syarikat Jayonik MSC Sdn Bhd, with the amount deposited into an account of one Noor Jasmin Mustafa, as an inducement to assist in issuing an appointment letter to the company for several projects valued about RM8.4 million.
The offence under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, read with Section 24 of the same Act, is punishable with a maximum 20-year prison sentence and a fine of RM10,000 or five times the bribe amount, whichever is higher.
Sessions Court Judge Norsalha Hamzah set bail at RM50,000 in one surety and fixed Aug 16 for mention.
In another case, a policeman with the rank of sergeant claimed trial at the same court to two counts of soliciting and accepting a bribe from a drug pusher.
V. Ambualergan was alleged to have solicited a bribe of RM2,000 and receiving RM1,000 from one Khor Ah Pin so that no action was taken against the latter after syabu was seized from him.
The offence was committed at the Northeast district police headquarters about 4pm on May 30, 2016, and at a coffeeshop in Jalan Perak about 5pm on June 2, 2016.
Norshalha fixed Sept 20 for mention after allowing RM8,000 bail in one surety for the accused who faces charges under Section 16(a) and Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.
In another case, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) officer Abdul Halim Mat Kasa claimed trial to two counts of cheating of RM200 and RM300 in an attempt to deceive one Ch'ng Chey Lee that he could help the latter avoid action by the council.
He was accused of committing the offence under Section 420 of the Penal Code in front of a post office in Air Itam at 4pm on Sept 29, 2015, and at a car showroom in Jalan Sungai Pinang at 5.15pm on Oct 22, 2015.
Norsalha allowed bail of RM6,000 in one surety and set Sept 20 for mention.
In a separate case, Northeast district lower Syariah court officer Mohamad Sharriff claimed trial to cheating one Mohamad Alif Jimin and inducing him to transfer RM1,500 to him to resolve a "khalwat" (close proximity) case.
He was accused of committing the offence at the Syariah Court Complex in Jalan Batu Gantung around 10am on Dec 8, 2015, for cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum 10 year prison sentence, whipping and fine.
Norsalha set bail at RM5,000 in one surety and fixed Sept 20 for mention.
In KUANTAN, nine Pahang Land and Mines Office enforcement officers were remanded for seven days from today to facilitate investigations into illegal bauxite mining activities here.
Magistrate Tengku Eliana Tuan Kamaruzaman issued the remand order applied by DPP Mohammad Fadhly Mohd Zamri from the MACC, Bernama reports.
The suspects, aged between 29 and 59, are being investigated under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act 2009, for allegedly receiving bribes as inducement to protect illegal mining activities.
The section, punishable under Section 24 of the same act, provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a minimum fine of RM10,000 or five times the bribe amount, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The suspects who were picked up between 3.30pm and 3.45pm on Wednesday arrived at the court complex clad in lockup attire, at about 10.30am.
They were among the 10 individuals detained in a special operation by the MACC due to the ongoing mining activities despite the moratorium imposed until Dec 31.
Also detained was a senior Customs officer, aged 56, who has been remanded until Aug 8.