KUALA LUMPUR: A businessman has pleaded not guilty to five counts of abetment in bribery involving RM32,000 to a registration assistant at the National Registration Department (NRD) linked to an application for a birth certificate.
Yap Foo Siong, 58, was charged with abetting another individual by handing over the cash bribe to a registration assistant in Putrajaya as gratification for helping to process the application that used false supporting documents.
The offence was allegedly committed at a premises in Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Precinct 2 and a restaurant in Putrajaya between May 30 and Sept 21, 2023.
The charge, framed under Section 28(1)(c) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, read together with Section 17(b), provides for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.
After Yap entered his plea on Monday (Feb 9), Sessions judge Suzana Hussin allowed him bail of RM8,000 with one surety for all charges.
He was ordered to report to the nearest MACC office once a month and to not intimidate witnesses.
She also set March 16 for mention. – Bernama
