SEREMBAN: A 53-year-old assistant administrative officer with the Port Dickson Municipal Council pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here to six counts of corruption and power abuse involving more than RM47,000.
Hamiza Hasnin claimed trial after the charges were read to her before Judge N Kanageswari.
Apart from accepting a RM8,141 bribe, the accused was charged with abusing her position by submitting quotations from a company owned by her son-in-law to supply products and services for several events organised by the council totalling RM39,170.
These were quotations for the supply of food and drinks for a beach volleyball event at Pantai Saujana, shirts for a familiarisation trip, supplies for a convoy programme, t-shirts and waterproof bags for a fishing programme at Pantai Cahaya Negeri and promotional material for an auto show and arts and cultural night.
She was charged with committing the offences between June 23, 2022 and March 2024 at the municipal council office in Port Dickson.
Hamiza was charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same legislation. Offenders can be jailed up to 20 years and fined not less than five times the value of the bribe or a minimum RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Syairah Aqilah Khalil told the court her team was offering the accused bail of RM30,000 for all six charges with one surety. She also asked the court to order the accused to report at the nearest MACC office once a month until the disposal of her case and to surrender her passport.
Counsel for the accused Shaharuddin Mohamed pleaded for a lower amount as Hamiza only earned RM4,000 a month and had to provide for a son who will be sitting for his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination. He said the accused was not a flight risk and had cooperated with the MACC.
Judge Kanageswari then set bail at RM10,000 with one surety and allowed the other applications by the prosecution. She fixed March 13 for next mention.
