KL Tower deal: Hydroshoppe director applies to strike out corruption charge

KUALA LUMPUR – Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd director Datuk Abdul Hamid Shaikh Abdul has applied to strike out a corruption charge filed against him two months ago. 

He was charged on April 5 this year with offering a bribe of RM500,000 a year for 15 years for the benefit of Tan Sri Annuar Musa in connection with the takeover of the KL Tower concession. 

The notice was filed through the law firm of Messrs. Chetan Jethwani & Company at the sessions court here last May 31. 

This was confirmed by his lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, at a proceeding before judge Suzana Hussin today. 

The notice was filed on grounds that the charge against Abdul Hamid Shaikh, 49, was flawed and unfounded as it did not meet the requirements for the offence under Section 16 (b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. 

It also stated that the charge failed to comply with the provisions of Sections 152, 153 and 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code because one of the important details in the charge, which is the date, was not specified in the charge. 

Deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) confirmed receiving the notice. 

Suzana then set June 19 for both parties to file their written submissions and July 18 to decide the matter. 

The company, Hydroshoppe, as a commercial organisation, was also charged with committing the same offence with the same intention, and at a proceeding before Judge Rozina Ayob, Amer Hamzah told the court that the defence had filed an application to stay proceedings for the case against the company pending the disposal of the case facing Abdul Hamid Shaikh. 

Meanwhile, Mahadi requested to transfer the case (involving Hydroshoppe as a commercial organisation) to another sessions court to be tried with the case against Abdul Hamid Shaikh. 

Amer Hamzah objected to the matter and requested the prosecution to make the request in writing. 

Rozina fixed July 5 to hear the applications by both parties. 

Abdul Hamid Shaikh, had pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to the charge of offering the bribe through Datuk Tan Ser Lay, 60, as an inducement for the then Communications and Multimedia Minister to expedite the takeover process of KL Tower concession by the company. 

He allegedly committed the offence at the Communications and Multimedia Ministry in Putrajaya between July and August 2022. – Bernama, June 2, 2023