KUALA LUMPUR: The director-general of the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia Datuk Hazri Hassan has been charged at the Sessions Court with two counts of graft involving more than RM130,000 in funds from the Land Surveyors Board.
Hazri, 57, who is also the chairman of the board, pleaded not guilty to two counts of using his position to obtain the bribes after the charges were read out before judge Suzana Hussin on Wednesday (April 21).
"I plead not guilty," he said.
According to the first charge, Hazri is accused of using his position as the board chairman to obtain a bribe from its funds totalling RM30,201.16 for himself.
The act is linked to his involvement in a board meeting that discussed his participation in the 14th Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management in New York, United States, from Aug 4 to 9, 2024.
He allegedly committed the offence at a board meeting room in Wisma LJT, Lorong Perak, Pusat Bandar Melawati on Aug 3, 2024.
For the second charge, he is accused of using his position to obtain a bribe from the board's funds amounting to RM105,914 for himself by participating in the board meeting that discussed his participation in another geospatial-related meeting overseas in Madinah and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between Jan 29 and Feb 4, 2025.
Hazri allegedly committed the offence at a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 31, 2024.
Both charges were framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib proposed RM70,000 bail with the condition that the accused must surrender his passport to the court until the case is disposed.
"The offence is of a non-bailable nature but it is up to the discretion of the court if it wishes to release the accused on bail.
"The prosecution has discussed with the defence and we agree to not have any objection should the court use its discretion.
"Both parties have agreed with the amount RM70,000 in one surety and the additional condition," DPP Ahmad Akram said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Muhammad Amin Othman, who represented the accused, confirmed the mutual agreement with the prosecution.
"If it is allowed by the court, the defence seeks for the bail to be paid in stages. RM50,000 for today and another RM20,000 on Friday," he said.
Judge Suzana allowed the accused bail at RM70,000 in one surety and ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court.
The court also allowed for the bail to be paid in two instalments.
The case has been fixed for mention on June 4.
