By Bernama | Free Malaysia Today
A company director failed in his bid to strike out a corruption charge brought against him for offering a bribe of RM500,000 a year over 15 years to former communications and multimedia minister Annuar Musa in connection with the takeover of the KL Tower concession.
Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin dismissed the application by Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd director Abdul Hamid Shaikh Abdul Razak Shaikh, 49, after hearing submissions from both parties.
Hamid had filed the application on May 31 alleging that the charge preferred under section 16(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 was flawed and unfounded.
He said it lacked important details, particularly the date the alleged offence is said to have been committed.
Earlier, lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, representing the accused, told the court that his client is seeking the temporary release of his passport to take his son to the UK, and also to go to the US for business.
“He needs to be in the UK on Sept 12 and for business in the US on Oct 1. If the application is allowed, I request that my client’s presence be excluded on the next mention date,” he added.
MACC Deputy Public Prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat insisted that the defence take out a formal application supported by an affidavit.
“We need to check the date and reason for the application before making a decision (whether) to object because of the long period abroad,” he said.
The court ordered Hamid to file the application by Sept 12, when the case will be called up for mention next.
Hamid was charged on April 5 this year.
He is alleged to have offered the bribe through Tan Ser Lay, 60, as an inducement for Annuar to expedite the takeover process.
He is accused of having committed the act at the communications and multimedia ministry’s headquarters in Putrajaya between July and August 2022.
