Proposal to charge Sivarasa's nephew, one other for corruption delayed at AGC, claim sources

PUTRAJAYA: The proposal to charge two individuals including the nephew of Sungai Buloh lawmaker R. Sivarasa for corruption was made in 2019 but action was "delayed at the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC)", claim sources.

Sources with knowledge of the case said the fact that the two were brought to court to face charges on Monday (Jan 24) had nothing to do with the "latest issues" (involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki).

The case underwent the normal investigation process and procedure since it was reported in 2017, the sources claimed.

"The team investigating the case had completed their investigation papers, along with evidence for the suspects to be charged back in 2019.

"Since then, the team had been following up with the AGC on the case but no charges were proffered.

"Just recently, the AGC had given the MACC the go-ahead to charge the two individuals," sources told The Star.

Sivarasa’s nephew Naveen Rasiah and former staff Nico Kam Joo Hoe were charged with three counts of corruption each in relation to the recruitment of foreign workers about five years ago at the Kuala Lumpur’s Sessions Court on Monday (Jan 24).

On the first charge, they are accused of jointly asking for a RM55,000 bribe from Bangladeshi Mono Miah Siddikur Rahman as an inducement for not reporting him to the Immigration Department regarding his company Syarikat Dyna Maintainance Services Sdn Bhd's alleged offence of bringing in foreign workers on professional qualifications for labour work.

For the second and third charges, the two are alleged to have agreed to corruptly receive for themselves cash of RM45,000 and RM20,000 from Mono Miah through Kam in relation to the same matter.

The offences were allegedly committed at two restaurants in Cheras and somewhere in Kuala Lumpur between 1pm and 10pm between Sept 17 and 21, 2017.

The Sungai Buloh MP had earlier claimed that the MACC had decided to charge his nephew because he had spoken out on the stock trading controversy involving its chief commissioner.

"Almost four-and-a-half years have passed since the investigation was completed in September 2017. No action was taken against Naveen at that time and, in fact, the file should have been closed," he had said.

Sivarasa said he raised the issue of Azam’s ownership of shares in Parliament on Dec 14 last year and one month later, the MACC decided to charge Naveen, who works in his service centre.