IPOH: An Immigration Department officer has been charged at the Sessions Court here with two counts of bribery involving about RM16,000.
Azdee Muaz Md Adnan, 50, pleaded not guilty to the charges read under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act before judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi.
For the first charge, Azdee Muaz was accused of soliciting about RM10,800 from clerk Amira Natasha Zaidi, 30, as an inducement to expedite the approval to get a labour quota under the Recalibration for Foreign Workers Programme 2.0 for 54 workers at EZY Engineering Works (M) Sdn Bhd.
For the second charge, he allegedly received a bribe of RM5,200 in cash from Nurul Syakirin Mohd Hanapiah, 33, at an eatery in a shopping centre here on Aug 3, 2023, between 1pm and 2pm.
The payment was said to be part of an inducement to facilitate the approval of a labour quota for 52 workers under the same programme.
If convicted, he may face imprisonment up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
During the proceedings, MACC prosecuting officer Shahrul Azuan Ghazali requested bail of RM20,000 with one surety.
Defence lawyer Md Yusuf Idris requested a lower bail, highlighting that his client has a net monthly income of RM3,568.
Md Yusuf said his client is the sole bread of his family, supporting his wife and three children as well as his elderly parents.
Judge Meor Sulaiman set bail at RM10,000 with one surety and Apr 29 for mention.
The accused was also ordered to report to the nearest MACC office on the first Friday of every month and to refrain from disturbing the witnesses until the case is complete.
