Three more TNB officers remanded over corruption case

KOTA BARU, Aug 21 — Three more Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) officers are being remanded for seven days from today to facilitate investigations into a corruption case.

The remand orders on an engineer and two technicians were issued by magistrate Ahmad Adha Amir Yasser Amri, here, today.

According to an officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the three TNB officers, aged between 30 and 50, were being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 for allegedly using their post or position to obtain bribes.

The three suspects had arrived at the Magistrate’s Court about 12.45 pm under tight security. They were detained at the MACC office, here, yesterday when they came to give their statements.

Their arrest followed the remand of a TNB senior officer for seven days from Aug 16 to assist in investigations into alleged corruption, abuse of power and money laundering. — Bernama

Source : Malay Mail Online

KOTA BARU, Aug 21 — Three more Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) officers are being remanded for seven days from today to facilitate investigations into a corruption case.
The remand orders on an engineer and two technicians were issued by magistrate Ahmad Adha Amir Yasser Amri, here, today.
According to an officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the three TNB officers, aged between 30 and 50, were being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 for allegedly using their post or position to obtain bribes.
The three suspects had arrived at the Magistrate’s Court about 12.45 pm under tight security. They were detained at the MACC office, here, yesterday when they came to give their statements.
Their arrest followed the remand of a TNB senior officer for seven days from Aug 16 to assist in investigations into alleged corruption, abuse of power and money laundering. — Bernama
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/three-more-tnb-officers-remanded-over-corruption-case#sthash.GFBhMPSs.dpuf

KOTA BARU, Aug 21 — Three more Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) officers are being remanded for seven days from today to facilitate investigations into a corruption case.
The remand orders on an engineer and two technicians were issued by magistrate Ahmad Adha Amir Yasser Amri, here, today.
According to an officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the three TNB officers, aged between 30 and 50, were being investigated under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 for allegedly using their post or position to obtain bribes.
The three suspects had arrived at the Magistrate’s Court about 12.45 pm under tight security. They were detained at the MACC office, here, yesterday when they came to give their statements.
Their arrest followed the remand of a TNB senior officer for seven days from Aug 16 to assist in investigations into alleged corruption, abuse of power and money laundering. — Bernama
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/three-more-tnb-officers-remanded-over-corruption-case#sthash.GFBhMPSs.dpuf

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

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

Malaysian lecturer is Australia university sacked for bribery

Petaling Jaya (The Star/ANN) - Curtin University in Australia has taken immediate steps to review its student assessment process after its lecturer, a Malaysian, admitted to taking bribes to raise students' marks. 

Foong Tuck Cheong has since been dismissed by the university. He pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of corruption for receiving bribes from the students. In response to queries by The Star, the university's Corporate Relations and Development vice-president Valerie Raubenheimer said it has "established procedures" to investigate all reports received through its complaints portal. 

"In the wake of allegations against Foong, external consultants were appointed to complete forensic and student assessment process reviews. "While any instance of misconduct is disappointing, more than 5,000 people are employed by Curtin and the vast majority are honest and ethical. "The university believes its handling of this case shows these processes are working and the reputation of Curtin as an institution of integrity will be enhanced," she said in a statement. 

The Australian Associated Press reported on Monday that Foong, 54, had pleaded guilty in the Perth Magistrates Court to charges of corruption and bribery. Foong had increased the marks of two students who should have failed their units in Applied Science in Construction Management. One student paid him A$3,000 (US$2,778) and the other A$1,500 ($1,398). 

The report added that Foong had also increased the mark of a third student's assignment and given him a pass mark on an assignment that was not submitted. Foong is said to have a personal and professional connection with the student's father in Malaysia. 

A lecturer with the construction and management department for over 24 years, Foong was sacked last November following allegations that he had offered to raise students' failing grades in exchange for money. Malaysia's National Professors' Council Cluster of Governance, Law and Public Management head Prof Dr Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmood said Foong's conduct was unethical and illegal. 

"Under laws that prevent corruption, it would definitely be an offence. Most Malaysian universities have a code of ethics and staff disciplinary rules that state that lecturers cannot approach students for bribes," he said. 

Foong is not the first Malaysian to bring public controversy to the university. In 2011, Malaysian-born Keith Low Kok was sentenced to a two-year jail term after admitting to taking bribes to falsify English language test results to help foreign immigrants with their permanent residency and student visas. 

Low had committed the offence while he was employed as an administrative support officer at Curtin University's English Language Centre, which administered tests for the International English Testing System (IELTS). Meanwhile, Bukit Aman will cooperate with the Australian autho?rities in the probe against Foong. 

Federal Commercial Crime Inves?tigation department assistant director Asst Comm Nerita Yaacob said police were waiting for more information on the case. "We will investigate whether the case involved elements of forgery, if the suspect had amendments to documents." 

Since the university has twinning programmes with local collages, ACP Nerita said police would investigate the matter further.

Source : Yahoo News

Woman Gets Jail For Trying To Bribe TM Officer

A former Alcatel Network (M) Sdn Bhd regional customer account leader was jailed two years and fined RM125,000 by a Sessions Court here after she was found guilty of bribing a Telekom Malaysia assistant manager in 2006.
 
Sessions Court judge Rozilah Salleh ruled that the defence had failed to establish doubt and ordered Radziah Ani, 51, to be jailed eight months if she failed to pay the fine.

She ordered the sentence to run from yesterday.

“I find her defence was a mere denial, inconsistent and unreasonable,” she said yesterday.
However, the court granted a stay of the jail sentence pending appeal in the High Court. The fine was allowed to be paid until March 8.

Radziah was found guilty of bribing assistant manager Mohd Asri Idris, 42, with a RM25,000 bank cheque dated Feb 15, 2006 as payment to supply information about the tender.

The charge sheet stated that the information was “for the supply of Wideband Code Division Mulitiple Access Mobile Communications System and the Provision of Works Phase II”.
She committed the offence at a hotel in Jalan Sultan Ismail between 1pm and 2.30pm on Feb 17, 2006.

A total of nine prosecution witnesses and four defence witnesses testified in the trial.
Zulqarnain Hassan from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commi­ssion prosecuted while Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Sarah Maalini Abishegam defended.

In mitigation, Muhammad Shafee said his client should not be prosecuted on grounds that she had denied her involvement.

Source : The Star

Ex-lecturer Jailed, Fined Over Bribes For Diploma

A former Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University College (KLMU) lecturer was sentenced to six months’ jail and fined RM20,000 by the Sessions Court yesterday after pleading guilty to two corruption charges involving the award of a diploma to his student last year.
 
On the first charge, Elmy Shadzli Wahi, 41, was sentenced to three months’ jail and fined RM10,000 or four months’ jail in lieu of by judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain for corruptly accepting RM1,500 from Izam Mustaffa via cash deposit into his account, as inducement to award the latter a Hotel Management Diploma from Nilai University College.

He committed the offence at Maybank Berhad, Taman Molek branch in Johor Baru at 1.45pm on March 22, 2012.

On the second charge, he was sentenced to three months’ jail and fined RM10,000 or four months’ jail in lieu of for corruptly accepting RM1,500 cash from Izam for the same purpose at the Sarimas Café in Wisma Sime Darby, Jalan Raja Laut, here, at 1.15pm on April 3, 2012.

On January 3, 2013, Elmy Shadzli pleaded guilty to a related corruption charge and is currently serving a two-month sentence imposed by Sessions Court Judge Rozilah Salleh, who also fined him RM10,000.

Ahmad Zamzani also ordered Elmy’s jail terms to run consecutively, upon completion of the two months and also ordered him to pay a RM1,500 penalty.

DPP Wan Ahmad Nidzam Wan Omar from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission prosecuted while SI Rajah represented Elmy. — Bernama

Source : The Malaysian Insider

Survey: One in 10 Has Paid A Bribe

Most Malaysians would rather pay their way out of trouble than join the fight against corruption.

Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low said yesterday despite high awareness, many people still lacked the conviction to take a stand against corrupt practices.

"When forced by a situation (which requires them to give bribes), many people still choose to pay. It's almost become a way of life," he said after launching the TI-M Walk Against Corruption at the Lake Gardens here.

According to Low, a 2010 survey conducted by TI-M had found that at least one in 10 Malaysians had paid a bribe, while half of all businesses had lost contracts or clients as a result of graft.

He called on the public to play a greater role in combating graft, stressing that the struggle against corruption could not be fought by organisations such as TI-M or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission alone.

"It starts with a small act. Just don't pay. And if you really want to take it further, report those responsible to the authorities."

Low said studies had proven that countries that did not tolerate corruption often enjoyed higher incomes and higher standards of living.

"In some other countries, however, nearly a third of a person's income goes to paying bribes. When a society reaches that state, it's a sure sign of a country's decline -- this is why we cannot allow corruption to continue."

More than 200 people joined in the walk, organised in conjunction with the United Nations International Anti-Corruption Day.

Source : New Straits Times

Deputy V-C Denies Asking For And Accepting Bribe

A Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) deputy vice-chancellor pleaded not guilty at a Sessions Court here to soliciting and accepting a bribe of RM15,000 from a contractor in 2010.

Prof Ir Dr Abdul Aziz Abdul Samad, 52, who heads the university’s academic and international division, pleaded not guilty to the charges before Sessions court judge Mohamad Haidar Abdul Aziz.

For the first charge, Dr Abdul Aziz was said to have asked for a bribe of RM15,000 from contractor Mohammad Anal Talhah, 41, in December 2010 as an inducement to help him obtain a contract under the university’s development and building property management division.

Avoiding the cameras: Dr Abdul Aziz trying to hide his face from press photographers at the Sessions Court in Johor Baru. -Bernama

For the second offence, Dr Abdul Aziz was charged with accepting the bribe of RM15,000 and inserting the sum into his personal bank account on Jan 28, 2011.

The charges, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian-Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, carrry a jail term of not more than two years, a fine of RM10,000 or five times the bribe amount, whichever is higher.

Dr Abdul Aziz was also alternatively charged with accepting the bribe under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which carries up to two years in jail or a fine or both

He also claimed trial to the alternative charge.

MACC prosecuting officer Abdul Ghafar Ab Latif offered bail at RM30,000 for all the charges.

Dr Abdul Aziz’s lawyers Abdul Halem Mohamad Husin and Shahrul Syazwan Salehin asked the court to consider lowering the bail as Dr Abdul Aziz was still providing for his wife, two ex-wives and six children.

Mohamad Haidar set bail at RM20,000 and fixed the next date for mention on Nov 9.
Dr Abdul Aziz posted bail.

Source : The Star

2 Men Charged With Bribery Found Guilty

Two men were sentenced by the Shah Alam Sessions Court to one day jail and fined RM30,000 for their involvement in the supply of medical equipment to University Malaya Medical Centre.

Shahzan Ahmad, 36, and Misra Nedri Raflis, 34, were sentenced by judge Asmadi Hussin after they pleaded guilty to three charges. 

 

Shahzan Ahmad, a former UMMC assistant administration officer, admitted to receiving bribes totalling RM25,000 from Orion Shipping & Forwarding Sdn Bhd (OSF), a company which he knew was involved in bidding for a contract in supplying medical equipment.   

 

He committed the offences in Petaling Jaya on April 28, 2006, Oct 9, 2006 and April 10, 2007.

 

Misra, a manager of OSF, admitted to abetting Shahzan in obtaining the bribes. 

Source : New Straits Times

Ex-Sime Darby Senior GM Gets 27 Years for Corruption

A former senior general manager of Sime Darby Engineering Sdn Bhd was sentenced to 27 years' jail and fined RM894,400 on five counts of corruption involving over RM180,000.

Sessions Court judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain made the decision after the defence failed to cast reasonable doubt on all the charges against Md Zaki Othman, at the close of the defence case.
Zaki, 50, who was based in Pasir Gudang, Johor looked calm when the sentence was read. The court ordered him to serve another 112 months' jail if he failed to pay the fine.

Ahmad Zamzani said the defence case was merely based on denial and regarded Zaki's explanation as dishonest and unreasoanable.

"The alibi given by a defence witness is baseless, unreasonable and failed to destroy the perception that bribery in the form of wristwatches and furniture were corruption," said the judge.

However, the court allowed suspension of jail sentence pending appeal in the High Court and ordered Zaki to surrender his passport to the court and report to the nearest police station once a month.

Zamzani also ordered that the bail of RM45,000 imposed on Zaki be raised to RM70,000 with one surety.

For the first charge, Zaki was sentenced to four years' jail and fined RM168,000 or 18 months' jail and for the second charge, five years' jail and fined RM108,500 or 20 months' jail.

He was sentenced to five years' jail and fined RM153,000 or 20 months for the third charge and six years' jail and fined RM164,900 or 24 months' jail for the fourth charge.


For the fifth charge, Zaki was sentenced to seven years' jail and fined RM300,000 or 30 months' jail.

The court ordered that all the sentences run consecutively.

For the first charge, Zaki was alleged to have received RM33,600 bribe in the form of furniture from Abdul
Salam Ahmad, at his house in Jalan Austin Perdana 2/11, Taman Austin Perdana here at 10am on Dec 14, 2007.

The money was to help the contractor obtain a letter of intent (LOI) dated Jan 11, 2008 for the project "EPCIC for MOQ Package 16, BE Process and BG Utility Platforms worth RM23,901.959 for Duplex Energy Sdn Bhd.

The charge under Section 11 (a) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1997 carries the maximum jail sentence of 20 years' and fine not less five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

For the second charge, Zaki was alleged to have received a Rolex wristwatch worth RM21,700 from Abdul Salam at the same address at 9pm on March 10, 2009, as inducement to help approve and expedite progress payment for the contract "EPCIC for MOQ Package 16, BE Process and BG Utility Platforms" at Sime Darby Engineering Sdn Bhd, Pasir Gudang and sub-contract project Kumang & Tangga Barat Cluster Development Project (Phase 1) for Duplex Energy Sdn Bhd.

The charge under Section 17 (a) of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 carries the maximum 20 years' jail sentence and fine five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

For the third charge, Zaki was alleged to have asked for bribe in the form of IWC wristwatch worth RM32,980 from Abdul Salam at Hour Glass Sdn Bhd, Lot 10 Shopping Centre in Jalan Sultan Ismail here between 1.30pm and 4.30pm between March 13 and 15, 2009.

It was as inducement to help the contractor to obtain LOI for a small contract, Kumang & Tangga Barat Cluster Development Project (Phase 1) by the contractor's company that deals in oil and gas engineering.

For the fourth charge, Zaki was accused of receiving bribe in the form of a Hublot wristwatch worth RM60,000 from Abdul Salam at 10am between May 13, 2009 and May 15, 2009, as inducement to approve and expedite progress payment for the contract "EPCIC for MOQ Package 16, BE Process and BG Utility Platforms' at Sime Darby Engineering Sdn Bhd, Pasir Gudang and the small contract, Kumang & Tangga Barat Cluster Development Project (Phase 1) by the contractor's company.

The third and fourth charges under Section 16 (a) (A) of MACC Act 2009 carry the maximum jail sentence of 20 years' and fine five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

For the fifth charge, Zaki was alleged to have asked Abdul Salam for a RM33,600 bribe in the form of a furniture set at Europe Asia Furniture Expo Sdn Bhd, Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya near here on Nov 28, 2007.

He was charged under Section 11 (a) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1997 that carries maximum jail sentence of 20 years' and fine five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher. Earlier, Zaki's counsel T.Vijayasandran pleaded for a light sentence as his client had lost his job and asked that the jail sentences run concurrently.

DPP Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi of MACC asked the court for a deterrent sentence as being a senior general manager at Sime Darby, Zaki should show a good example to the organization and his subordinates.

"With a salary of RM39,000 per month, it is unreasonable of him to commit corruption and the case should not have happened," he said.

The prosecution produced 29 witnesses and the defence eight witnesses including the accused who were called to give testimony during the hearing beginning Feb last year. BERNAMA

Source : The Star