PWD director denies graft charge

JOHOR BARU: A Public Works Department (PWD) director yesterday claimed trial to a graft charge of using his position to procure a RM230,800 maintenance contract for a company owned by his younger brother. 

Datuk Abd Rahim Ahmad, 57, who is the director of the building and facility maintenance division, allegedly committed the offence at the meeting room of the PWD office in the Sultan Iskandar building here about 1.30pm on Jan 5, 2011. 

He was charged with committing the offence under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. The offence is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and fine of not less than five times the bribe, or RM10,000. 

According to the charge sheet, Rahim, who is also the project director for the contract management of building and facility for the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex and JB Sentral, had used his position to solicit a bribe. 

He allegedly asked Saipolyazan M. Yusop, 43, the group operations director of Advanced Maintenance Precision Management Sdn Bhd, which was appointed to maintain the CIQ complex in Bukit Chagar here, to appoint YBA Technology Sdn Bhd as the sub-contractor for one of the projects. YBA Technology is owned by Rahim's brother, Mohd Yusri Ahmad, 38. 

The project was for the re-balancing, testing and commissioning for air systems and chilled water systems, which was valued at RM196,000, and the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the Danfos Motorised Valve valued at RM34,800. 

Sessions Court judge Mohamad Haldar Abdul Aziz set bail at RM50,000 but defence counsel V. Stanislaus asked the court to reduce the bail as Rahim had served the PWD for 33 years and his record was unblemished. "Rahim also has two children who are still attending school and he had been cooperative with MACC. 

"There is no evidence that he will abscond and Rahim wants to clear his name and reputation. "I ask the court to be lenient and not to impose an exorbitant bail as he is not going to run away." 

Deputy public prosecutor Abd Ghafar Abd Latif said the high-profile case involved a senior ranking civil servant who had been awarded a datukship and was a director in Putrajaya. 

"The case is of public interest to the Johor government, the people of Johor and Malaysia as it involves the CIQ and JB Sentral which is the Southern Gateway to the country." Haldar reduced the bail to RM20,000 in one surety and fixed the case for mention on July 30 Read more: PWD director denies graft charge - General

Source : New Straits Times