Ex-MP Ehsanuddin charged with bribery over RM24k in car instalment payments

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid is claiming trial after being charged at the Sessions Court here with 14 counts of receiving bribes by way of payment for his car monthly instalments, totaling RM23,540.68.

The 56-year-old pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to him before Sessions Court judge Azman Ahmad on Wednesday (Feb 13).

According to the charge sheets, Noor Ehsanuddin was charged in his capacity as a former Felda board member for receiving payments through checks from Karya Hidayah Sdn Bhd, a printing company that has connection with the accused’s official function.

It was learned that the car was a BMW 3 series.

The offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank Bhd on Jalan Mahkota, Taman Maluri between Feb 10, 2014 and Nov 9, 2015.

The charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code. The accused faces a maximum two years in jail or fine or both, if convicted.

DPP Nor Diana Nor Azwa offered bail at RM30,000 in one surety for all of the offences.

She asked for the court to seize the accused’s passport and make an order for the accused to report himself at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s office each month.

Nor Diana also informed the court that the accused would be facing more charges in Shah Alam Sessions Court on Feb 14. 

Lawyer Datuk R. Thrichelvam, who represented the accused, did not object to the bail.

“I agree with the bail amount, and my client has already surrendered his passport when he was charged at a Johor Baru Sessions Court on Sunday.

“But he is a businessman and it would be inconvenient for him to travel if he needs to report to the MACC office each month,” he said.

Judge Azman allowed bail at RM30,000 in one surety and ordered for the accused to report at the MACC’s office monthly.

The court fixed March 14 for mention.

Last Sunday, Noor Ehsanuddin pleaded not guilty at the Johor Baru Sessions Court over two charges of accepting bribes. The former board member of Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd was charged for accepting RM50,000 from the same company, Karya Hidayah, on Sept 6, 2013.

He also faces a second charge of accepting a plot of land said to be valued at RM180,000 from the same company on March 23, 2014, at the Kota Tinggi Land Office.