Datasonic distances itself from Pristine Offshore over bribe charge

KUALA LUMPUR: Datasonic Group Bhd has distanced itself from Pristine Offshore Sdn Bhd over a bribery charge faced by its deputy managing director Chew Ben Ben, who is a major shareholder of the latter.

In a statement to Bursa Malaysia on Thursday, Datasonic said Chew is a former director of Pristine Offshore in which he holds a 49% stake in this private investment company.

The company clarified Pristine Offshore is a separate legal entity of Datasonic, where Chew is being charged by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) under Section 16(b)(A) of the MACC Act, 2009.

Chew was facing trial for allegedly paying a bribe of RM321,350 between June 29 and Oct 14 2020 in relation to a sub-contract for ship chartering for oil mining work.

“The trial shall take a long process until all legal processes have been completed with a final decision from the court,” it said.

Datasonic said the company and its subsidiaries are not involved in the said sub-contracting whatsoever, either directly or indirectly.

“Neither the company has benefited in whatever form from the said workboat chartering accommodation business,” it said.

It also pointed out the charge was “strictly related to Chew’s private investment company, in workboat chartering accommodation business which is not related to any of Datasonic’s businesses”.

Datasonic also said was business as usual and the business operations are not affected and are running as usual.