SHAMSUL ISKANDAR CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION LINKED TO SABAH MINERAL EXPLORATION LICENCE

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Former Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin was charged in the Sessions Court here today with four counts of corruption amounting to RM176,829.03 in connection with mineral exploration licence approval in Sabah.

Shamsul Iskandar @ Yusre Mohd Akin, 50, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him before Judge Suzana Hussin.

“I understand (the charges), (I) plead not guilty and request trial,” Shamsul Iskandar said calmly.

Shamsul Iskandar, who was serving as the Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister at the time of the alleged offences, is accused of agreeing to accept a bribe of RM100,000 in cash from businessman Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, at a hotel car park in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin here on Nov 24, 2023.

The payment was allegedly given as an inducement for him to assist companies in which Tei had interests to obtain mineral exploration licence approvals in Sabah, even though the matter was not connected to his principal affairs. 

Shamsul Iskandar is also charged with obtaining another bribe of RM40,000 in cash from Tei for the same purpose at a premises in Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya here on Jan 29, 2024.

He further faces two additional charges of receiving bribes in the form of furniture and electrical items worth RM14,580.03 and RM22,249, respectively, from the same individual for similar purposes.

The two offences were allegedly committed at a premises in Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya here between Dec 7, 2023 and Jan 31, 2024, and at Jalan P14a 1/1, Precinct 14, Putrajaya between Feb 26 and March 5, 2024.

All four charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 [Act 694], which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

The section provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, if it can be assessed, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Suzana set Jan 8 next year for mention and allowed bail of RM150,000 with two Malaysian sureties.

“The court also sets three additional conditions, namely that the accused must report to the nearest MACC office once a month, surrender his passport to the court until the case concludes, and refrain from disturbing prosecution witnesses,” the judge said.

The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib, Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan and Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar, while Shamsul Iskandar was represented by lawyers Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff and Joshua Tay.

-- BERNAMA