Bus owner jailed, fined RM11,000 for corruption

KUANTAN: A bus owner was sentenced to a day's jail and fined RM11,000, in default five months' jail, by the sessions court here for offering a RM500 bribe to a Road Transport Department (RTD) personnel.
Judge Dazuki Ali handed down the sentence on R.Muthusamy, 67, who pleaded guilty to the charge.
Muthusamy, from Sungai Marong, Bentong, was charged with offering the bribe to Shahrul Sharizal Mt Jawahir, who was then on duty, at the RTD Enforcement Station in Karak Bentong near here, at 2.45 pm last Sunday (Feb 18).
The bribe was offered as an inducement for Shahrul Sharizal to release his (Muthusamy) bus, with registration number PATRIOT 9772 , which was then driven by someone without a permit to drive the vehicle.
The charge, under Section 7(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and fine of five times the amount of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
In mitigation, Muthusamy said he was remorse, a diabetic and with heart problem which required him to go for treatment at the National Heart Institute.
MACD deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Fadhly Mohd Zamri, who prosecuted, asked for a punishment that could serve as a lesson.
"The accused insisted on giving the money although the RTD officer warned him against doing so. There were also passengers in the bus when it was stopped by RTD," he said.
Muthusamy paid the fine. — Bernama