By Rahmat Khairulrijal, Dawn Chan, and Najihah Borhan | New Straits Times
Former political secretary to the prime minister, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, pleaded not guilty today to receiving RM176,829.03 in graft from businessman Albert Tei.
Shamsul, the PKR Melaka chief, entered the plea after being charged with four counts of corruptly accepting cash and household items from Tei as inducements to assist companies linked to the businessman in securing mineral exploration licences in Sabah.
The charges against him are as follows:
1. Accepting cash totalling RM100,000 on Nov 24, 2023 at the YTL Majestic Hotel car park, Kuala Lumpur.
2. Accepting furniture and electrical goods valued at RM14,580.03 between Dec 7, 2023 and Jan 31, 2024 at Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur.
3. Accepting cash totalling RM40,000 on Jan 29, 2024 at Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur.
4. Accepting furniture and electrical goods valued at RM22,249 between Feb 26 and March 5, 2024 at Jalan P14a 1/1, Presint 14, Putrajaya.
He was charged under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (MACC) 2009, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan said the offence is non-bailable. However, she suggested that if the court were inclined to grant bail, it should be set at RM300,000, considering the seriousness of the charges.
She said that given the accused previously held an important position and has extensive networking, such a measure is necessary to prevent interference with witnesses and avoid delays in proceedings.
“The proposed bail of RM300,000 is reasonable in light of the non-bailable nature of the offences,” she added.
Shamsul’s lawyer, Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, urged the court to grant the minimum bail, saying the objective of bail is to secure his client’s attendance in court.
“Everyone is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. He is eager to clear his name. Bail should be no more than RM50,000. His passport should not be impounded, and reporting to the MACC is sufficient,” he said.
Amer Hamzah also questioned the prosecution’s argument that his client’s previous position and network could lead to interference with witnesses, calling it an assumption. He said the accused, a former public servant, had on Nov 26 lodged a police report denying all allegations made against him on social media and denied receiving any gratification.
Judge Suzana Hussin set bail at RM150,000 with two sureties and ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court.
The accused was also instructed to report to MACC headquarters once a month, and the court fixed 8 January for mention.
