JOHOR BARU: A kopitiam owner has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here for allegedly offering a RM2,000 bribe to a local council enforcement officer last year to avoid action being taken against his restaurant.
Tan Kai Dee, 23, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before Sessions Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail here on Monday (July 29).
According to the charge sheet, Tan was accused of giving RM2,000 in cash to an assistant enforcement officer with the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP), who is considered a public servant under the law.
The alleged bribe was an inducement for the officer not to take enforcement action against Tan’s kopitiam, which was found to have committed an offence under Section 47(1)(a) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133).
The provision carries a maximum fine of RM500, and RM1,000 for repeat offences.
The offence allegedly took place at the restaurant in Taman Mutiara Mas here in Skudai at around 6.20pm on Nov 4, 2024.
Tan was charged under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, and faces sentencing under Section 24(1) of the same Act.
If convicted, he could face up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, or whichever is higher.
MACC prosecuting officer Ameera D’aneez Mohd Shukari requested bail be set at RM10,000 with additional conditions to prevent the accused from absconding.
Lawyer K. Barathi, who represented the accused, however, appealed for a lower bail, stating that Tan supports his wife and both parents.
Judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin then set bail at RM10,000 with one local surety and also ordered Tan to report to the Mutiara Rini police station once a month and surrender his passport to the court.
He then fixed Sept 17 for the next mention of the case for handing over of documents.
