Higher Education Ministry official jailed for a year over bribes

ALOR SETAR: A Higher Education Ministry officer was sentenced to a year’s jail for using his position to solicit bribes for his wife some nine years ago.

Mohd Shabri Hassan, 41, was also slapped with a fine of RM195,032.50, or in default 10 months' jail by the High Court during an appeal by the prosecution on Tuesday.

In 2013, the accused was released and acquitted by the Kangar Sessions Court.

Judicial Commissioner Chan Jit Li ordered the jail term to start from Tuesday after allowing the appeal by the prosecution.
 
Mohd Shabri, with the commerce department of the Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Polytechnic in Ulu Pauh, Perlis, had on Nov 13, 2009 applied for approval to engage a company to conduct a course on handphone repair business.

The company, SSN Dot Com and Resources, owned by Mohd Shabri’s wife Nadiyah Mahamad Madiyah and her brother Mohd Aidilfitri, won the job worth RM39,006.50.

The accused was charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, a fine of five times the amount of bribes involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Deputy public prosecutor A. Hafiizh Abu Bakar prosecuted while Mohd Shabri was represented by lawyer Melissa Suk.