Ex-SSM CEO pleads not guilty to 33 bribery charges amounting over RM5mil (updated)

KUALA LUMPUR: A former Companies Commission Malaysia (SSM) CEO has claimed trial at a Sessions Court here to 33 counts of corruption involving more than RM5mil in exchange for her approving entrepreneurial programmes and appointing companies.

Datuk Zahrah Abd Wahab Fenner, 60, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to her before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi here on Wednesday (Oct 2).

Zahrah allegedly received a total of RM5,703,000 from several individuals as an inducement for her to approve SSM-organised programmes and the appointment of companies for SSM contracts.

The programmes were "Program Online Networking Entrepreneurs SSM 2015 (ONE SSM)" and "Program Karnival Youngpreneurs, Go! (YPGo)" held in several locations nationwide.

According to the first to 28th charges, she received RM5,279,000 as a reward for approving the programmes from one Ramulianto Mohram, through Mohamad Shahren Mohamad Yusri, between 2016 and 2018.

In the 29th charge, Zahrah is accused of using her position to solicit RM279,000 for her son Abdulazeez Wan Ruslan through Mohd Fadzly Abdul Hamid by choosing the quotation submitted by Mohd Fadzly for the execution of several projects between 2015 and 2017, which Abdulazeez had interest in.

The projects included organising SSM’s Healthy One programme, supplying instant shawls to SSM staff, and supplying T-shirts for SSM programmes.

For the 30th and 31st charges, the accused allegedly abetted her son Abdulazeez in his offence, where he received RM15,000 and RM70,000 for himself from one Samhan Adnan.

For the 32nd and 33rd charges, Zahrah allegedly received RM25,000 and RM50,000 from Big Dataworks Sdn Bhd and Prima Arenaniaga Sdn Bhd for Skateboarding Development Malaysia Plt, which belonged to Abdulazeez.

At the same court, 33-year-old Abdulazeez claimed trial to four counts of similar offences.

For the first and second charges, he allegedly received for himself RM15,000 and RM70,000 from Samhan, who was a director at Fixme Coach Sdn Bhd, as a reward for ensuring that his mother, Zahrah, gave the approval for Fixme Coach to build a website for Online Networking Entrepreneurs (One Portal).

For the third and fourth charges, Abdulazeez allegedly abetted his mother in her offence where she received RM25,000 and RM50,000 from Big Dataworks and Prima Arenaniaga for his company Skateboarding Development Malaysia Plt.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Allan Suman Pillai offered RM1mil bail for both accused and asked for a joint trial for mother and son.

Lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh, who represented the two, did not object to a joint trial but asked for a lower bail.

He said Zahrah retired this year and Abdulazeez had just gotten married.

The court then allowed RM300,000 bail in two sureties for Zahrah while Abdulazeez was granted RM70,000 bail in one surety.

The court also ordered thetwo accused to surrender their passports to the court pending the completion of trial.

The case is fixed for mention on Nov 26.