BUSINESSMAN Albert Tei was charged with another case of bribery while former Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin was accused of accepting a bribe of RM64,924 for house rental payments between 2023 and last year.
Shamsul Iskandar, 51, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.
"Plead not guilty, please stand trial," he said, wearing a green batik shirt.
According to the charges, he, as an agent of the Malaysian Government, namely the Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister, obtained a bribe of RM64,924 which was deposited into the CIMB Bank account of a woman, Rahmalidya Buyong.
It was for the rental payment of a house in Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur from a businessman, Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, 37.
The act was said to be to help Albert's companies obtain approval for mineral exploration licenses in Sabah.
The offence was allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Country Heights Branch, Kajang between 28 November 2023 and 23 September 2024.
He was charged under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act.
The section provides for a maximum prison sentence and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.
On Thursday, the politician was charged with one case of allegedly agreeing to accept a bribe of RM100,000 and three cases of obtaining money including furniture and electrical goods totaling RM76,829.03.
Previously, allegations emerged that a businessman had bribed the former Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister to recover money given to several State Assemblymen (ADUNs) in Sabah.
Following this, Shamsul Iskandar and Albert were remanded for six days until December 4, while another individual known as Sofia Rini Buyong was remanded for four days to assist in the investigation.
For the record, Shamsul Iskandar is the Chairman of the International Bureau of PKR, having previously held the executive position of Deputy Minister of Primary Industries from 2018 to 2020.
Meanwhile, Tei also pleaded guilty before the same judge to a charge of giving a bribe of RM64,924 to Shamsul Iskandar.
“I understand (the charge), I plead not guilty and claim trial,” he said.
Tei is charged with giving the monry to Shamsul Iskandar at a bank in Country Heights, Kajang, between Nov 28, 2023 and Sept 23, 2024.
The money, deposited into a bank account of a woman for rental payment of a house in Kuala Lumpur, was allegedly an inducement for Shamsul Iskandar to assist companies that Tei had an interest in to obtain a licence to carry out mineral exploration in Sabah.
The charge under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (MACC) [Act 694], provides a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of at least five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The judge allowed the prosecution’s application to use the same bail terms and conditions imposed by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday for a similar case facing Tei, and also ordered today’s case to be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court. – December 5, 2025
