Hamzah’s son denies graft charge

KUALA LUMPUR: A company director has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to a bribery charge amounting to RM100,000.

Muhammad Faisal Hamzah, 40, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out before Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob here yesterday.

“I plead not guilty,” said the accused, who is the son of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.Muhammad Faisal was charged with accepting the bribe from Izmir Abd Hamid as an inducement to use his influence to have Heitech Padu Bhd appoint Syarikat Rimba Merpati – in which the accused is a director – and Syarikat Per My Solutions as its marketing consultants.

The companies were then paid a commission of RM700,000 after Heitech Padu Bhd was awarded a RM33mil tender titled “Supply, Rental, Implementation, Training, Support and Maintenance of Security Infrastructure” by the Companies Commission of Malay-sia.

The offence was allegedly committed at an office in a shopping mall at Jalan Dutamas 1 in March 2018.

Muhammad Faisal was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which carries a maximum 20-year jail term and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification, or RM10,000; whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat offered bail at RM30,000 in one surety.

He also sought the court to impose additional conditions on the accused, namely surrendering his passport, reporting to the MACC office monthly beginning July and for the accused not to contact prosecution witnesses.

Muhammad Faisal’s lawyer Ravinder Singh Dhalliwal asked for a lower bail amount of RM25,000.

He told the court that his client needs to travel to Thailand monthly as he is in the process of opening a hostel there.

DPP Mahadi replied that the proposed bail sum was appropriate as the amount of bribe stated on the charge was RM100,000.

“We should take into consideration the nature of this charge and the background of the accused.

“The accused does not have dire financial issues and he is also the son of a former senior minister,” he said.

The prosecution added that the accused can apply for a temporary release of his passport should he be required to go abroad.

Judge Rozina fixed bail at RM25,000 in one surety and allowed the additional conditions.