KUALA LUMPUR: Four individuals, including a Datuk, were fined a maximum of RM100,000 each by two Sessions Courts here for failure to report corruption linked to the MEX II highway scandal to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Businessman Datuk Lim Kim Hai, 50; farmer Ang Teck Ann, 52; storekeeper Lee Keng Long, 37; and freelance consultant Chan Chee Keong, 67, pleaded guilty to their charges before judges Rosli Ahmad and Suzana Hussin here on Thursday (Oct 2).
Each of them were ordered to serve prison time between three to 10 months if they fail to pay the fine.
Before judge Rosli, Lim pleaded guilty to being given a RM3.5mil bribe by former MEX II Sdn Bhd director, Datuk Yap Wee Leong, as an inducement to engage three sub-contractor companies - Villas Hub Sdn Bhd, Jade Centennial Sdn Bhd and Bidang Bakat Sdn Bhd - for Golden Base Construction Sdn Bhd.
Ang admitted to being given a RM500,000 bribe as an inducement to be the middleman between Lim and another individual to engage the three sub-contractor companies.
Both men did not report the inducement to the MACC or the nearest police and therefore had violated Section 16(b)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.
The offences were committed at KH LIM Corporate Consultancy Sdn Bhd, Mid Valley City, between June 2017 and June 2018.
The charges were framed under Section 25(1) of the MACC Act 2009 that carries a maximum RM100,000 fine or imprisonment of up to 10 years or both, upon conviction.
At judge Suzana's court, Chan pleaded guilty to being given RM1.4mil from Lim as inducement for being a middleman to engage the three sub-contractors for Golden Base.
For Lee, he pleaded guilty to being given RM500,000 by Lim as an inducement to loan his companies, Villas Hub, Jade Centennial and Bidang Bakat, for Lim to use as sub-contractors to Golden Base.
The offences were committed at the same place and time.
Deputy public prosecutors Mohammad Fadhly Mohd Zamry, Hazel Tan Jia Qi, M Esther Jacyntha, Nurul Izzati Sapifee and Nidzuan Abdul Latif appeared for the prosecution.
Lawyer Ramalingam Karuppiah represented Ang, Lee and Chan while Lim was represented by lawyer Datuk Seri James Chow.
In the proceedings, the prosecution urged the court to impose a just sentence for the accused persons as a lesson and did not object if the court imposes a fine at the maximum level.
The prosecution also sought for the assets involved in the case, such as cash, to be forfeited to the government. This application was allowed by the courts.
The defence, in its mitigation, asked for a lenient sentence as the accused persons had cooperated with the authorities and they were remorseful of their action.
