KUALA LUMPUR – A former senior principal assistant secretary of a ministry was today charged at the Sessions Court here with three counts of soliciting and accepting bribes in connection with the issuance of a tender for biofertiliser supply and delivery to several companies last year.
Shahrulzaman Jaafar, 43, currently director of the southern region campus of the National Institute of Public Administration, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Shahrulzaman, who was then attached to the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry, was charged with soliciting a RM2 million bribe from one Wan Nor Izham Wan Nashar as an inducement to help the latter secure the supply and delivery tender, under the Production Incentive Scheme, for three companies – Endona Corporation Sdn Bhd, Qamari Consultancy Sdn Bhd and Borneo Natura Sdn Bhd – totalling RM118,165,171.65, at a restaurant in Jalan Berjasa here last February.
On the second count, he is alleged to have accepted bribes amounting to RM85,000 from Wan Nor Izham via a bank account registered under SZA Niaga, in exchange for helping the latter secure the tender for the respective companies, at Maybank’s Taman Setiawangsa branch at 10am on July 30.
The accused was also charged with accepting RM40,000 in cash from one Hazrul Hisyam Hassan as an inducement for helping the latter get the same tender for KIIK Resources Sdn Bhd, totalling RM37,478,572.55, in Jalan Klang Lama at noon on August 17.
The charges are under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years, and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The court set bail at RM60,000 with two sureties for the three charges, and granted all additional conditions requested by the prosecution.
It set February 24 for remention. – Bernama, January 12, 2021
