A-G mulling MACC Act amendment to increase body's effectiveness

KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General's Chambers is currently looking into amending the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 to improve the body's effectiveness in tackling bribery in the country. 

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan said among the suggestions made to improve the Act was the inclusion of a provision to hold companies liable if their employees were found guilty of corruption. 

"The Government is ready to study and introduce improvements to existing laws to address weaknesses in the system," he said in a written reply. Low also revealed that 1,310 people were brought to court for corruption offences between 2009 and May 2013. 

 "Of this total, 888 people were found guilty of various corruption offences. "As part of the Government Transformation Programme, the names of the offenders were uploaded into the database on the MACC's website," he said. 

Low said as of May 2013, 36 people out of the total 106 accused of corruption were found guilty. At a press conference in the Parliament lobby, Rafizi Ramli (PKR - Pandan) said Low faced a big challenge to boost MACC's image in the eyes of the public. 

Comparing the MACC with Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Rafizi said 68% of cases were successfully prosecuted by the MACC while ICAC's success rate was 86%. 

"These numbers prove that the public still doubts the effectiveness and independence of the MACC in conducting probes. 

"This is compounded by the fact that only one in every five MACC reports end up being investigated. A big portion of the cases end up being categorised as 'no further action'," he claimed.

Source : The Star

Senior Petronas officers charged with bribery and money laundering

Idris M. Shuhud (M) at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on July 5, 2013. BERNAMA

Two Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) senior managers pleaded not guilty to accepting bribes amounting to RM403,000 and RM23,000 respectively. 
 
Idris M. Shuhud, 47, senior manager of a pipe replacement project allegedly purchased and renovated his house in Bandar Tun Hussein, Cheras with the RM403,000 bribe he received from Penaga Orbit and Genius Response director Kamaruddin Mohd Daud in return for approving Technical Bids Evaluation, Commercial Bids Evaluatian and Services Completion Certificates. 

Idris, who was a senior manager at the Hook-Up Commisioning, Development Division of Petronas at the time, allegedly committed the offence in Kuala Lumpur between March 5, 2009 and Jan 20, 2012. 

He was charged under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (MACC) 2009 which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of five times the bribe or RM10,000 whichever is higher. 

Idris also pleaded not guilty to four counts of money laundering amounting to RM385,000 through several cheques and cash deposits during the same period.

He faces up to RM5 million in fine, a five year jail term or both upon conviction under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001. 

Deputy Public Prosecutors Afifah Mamat@Yusof and Mohd Farez Rahman appeared for the prosecution. 

Judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain set bail at RM15,000 with one surety for each count and fixed Aug 1 for mention pending the appointment of a defence counsel. 

Meanwhile in the same court, customer risk management senior manager Ishak Yusof, 47, pleaded not guilty to three counts of accepting RM23,000 in bribes as an incentive to supply 125 tankers of liquified natural gas to Erision Chem Sdn Bhd. 

He allegedly committed the offences in Kuala Lumpur between Aug 27 and Sept 19, 2008.
Ishak was charged under Section 11(a) of the Anti Corruption Act 1997 which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000 whichever is higher. 

Deputy Public Prosecutor Kevin Morais prosecuted while lawyer Jasvinder Jit Singh represented Ishak. 

Judge Ahmad Zamzani set bail at RM8,000 with one surety for each count and impounded his passport. Mention is on Aug 2. – Bernama

EC officer, transport company manager charged with bribery

KUALA LUMPUR (July 2, 2013): An Election Commission (EC) officer and an operations manager of a transport company pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of accepting a RM80,000 bribe from a businessman. 

Muhammad Firdaus Mohd Ramli, 34, who is EC division secretary (Data Analysis) in Putrajaya, and Fizal Kamarudin@Fauzi, 33, of Mega Lavende Sdn Bhd, are jointly charged with accepting the bribe from Mohd Noor Mokhid, the owner of Southair Travel and Tours Services Sdn Bhd, in return for appointing the company as the official transport provider for foreign observers during the 13th general election. 

They allegedly committed the offence at Restoran Al-Rawsha, No.8, Jalan Kampung Pandan here at 1pm on Oct 16 last year. 

The offence, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, provides for a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher. 

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Sophian Zakaria, from MACC, asked for bail to be set at RM20,000 in one surety for each accused, saying that the case was of public interest. 

Mohd Sophian also informed the court that Fizal would be charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court tomorrow for soliciting a bribe. 

Lawyer Datuk Salehuddin Saidin, representing both the accused, asked for bail to be reduced to RM5,000 as his clients cooperated with the MACC during investigations. 

He said Muhammad Firdaus had two children, while Fizal had a child who was suffering from leukemia and undergoing chemotherapy. 

Judge Rozilah Salleh allowed Muhammad Firdaus and Fizal bail of RM10,000 each in one security and set July 10 for mention. – Bernama