SHAH ALAM: A former member of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Pertubuhan Ikram Hulu Selangor (Ikram) pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here on Tuesday (June 16) to 158 charges of abusing his position for gratification totalling RM98,270,315.20, Sinar Harian reports.
Fakhrudin Abd Karim, 57, entered the plea after all the charges were read out over a two-hour session before Judge Mohd Nasir Nordin, the Malay language daily reported.
According to charges one to 149, he is alleged to have, at the time of the offences, been an officer of a public body — a member of Ikram appointed as an authorised signatory for the NGO’s Maybank Islamic Bukit Bintang branch account — and to have used his position for gratification.
This was allegedly done by directing 149 fund transfer transactions involving the NGO’s funds to a management company linked to the accused, namely into the company’s Maybank Islamic Dataran Maybank branch account, in which the accused allegedly had an interest, amounting to RM81,950,000.
For charges 150 to 158, the father of 10 is accused of the same offence by directing nine fund transfer transactions involving the NGO’s funds into two of his own personal bank accounts, amounting to RM16,320,315.20.
All offences are alleged to have been committed at the Pertubuhan Ikram Malaysia Hulu Selangor branch office at Pusat Perniagaan Adenium, Bukit Beruntung, Rawang, between Jan 6, 2021 and Aug 6 2025.
All charges were framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, Sinar Harian reported.
The section provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
During proceedings, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib said the offence is among those that are non-bailable.
However, if the court were to exercise its discretion to grant bail, he proposed bail of RM1mil with two sureties.
“The court must take into account the public interest, the seriousness of the case and the amount involved, exceeding RM98mil.
“Other additional conditions are that the accused’s passport be surrendered to the court until the case is concluded and that he must not approach prosecution witnesses,” he said.
He appeared with deputy public prosecutor Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin and prosecuting officer Muhammad Arif Asyraf Mohd Khairi.
Meanwhile, counsel Datuk N. Sivananthan, representing Fakhrudin, said the defence did not object to the additional conditions proposed by the prosecution.
“He has seven companies, but the companies’ bank accounts have been frozen by MACC.
“His bank accounts, including those of his family members, have also been frozen, resulting in his employees’ salaries not being paid for the past three months,” he said.
Also present was watching brief counsel for Ikram Malaysia, Ashwida Abd Samad.
After hearing submissions from both parties, Judge Mohd Nasir granted bail of RM500,000 with two local sureties and imposed the additional conditions proposed by the prosecution.
He fixed Aug 7 for mention.
In April, media reports said two individuals from an NGO were remanded for a total of nine days to assist investigations into alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to RM230 million.
In addition to 18 luxury vehicles, MACC seized a house and properties worth about RM11 million and various other movable assets, including cash and branded watches.
Under Ops Sutera, 33 bank accounts totalling about RM120 million were also frozen.
