MPS enforcement assistant claims trial to soliciting, accepting bribes

SHAH ALAM: A Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) enforcement assistant pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here Thursday (Jan 13) to six charges of soliciting and accepting a RM5,500 in bribe from a company three years ago.

Firdaus Azad Ab Hamid, 37, was charged with three counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM5,500 from Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd director Yip Kok Kuin as an inducement to help the company obtain an annual temporary permit.

The charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act.

He was also charged with three counts of soliciting RM5,500 from the same individual as an inducement to help the company obtain the annual temporary permit under Section 16 (a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009 and can be punished under Section 24 (1) of the same act.

For each charge, he faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the bribe amount, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Firdaus Azad also pleaded not guilty to three optional charges of receiving RM5,500 from the same individual who he knew had a connection with his official duties.

The charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code which provides imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine, or both, on conviction.

All the offences were allegedly committed at a bank in Shah Alam between Feb 20, 2019 and Nov 12, 2019.

Judge Rozilah Salleh allowed bail at RM8,000 with one surety and ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court and report to the nearest MACC office every month.

The court fixed Feb 15 for mention to enable the accused to appoint a lawyer. - Bernama