By Dawn Chan | New Straits Times
Former political secretary to the prime minister, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, today claimed trial to a charge of soliciting a RM64,924 bribe from businessman Albert Tei in 2023 and last year.
The 51-year-old, dressed in a blue batik shirt, was accused of fraudulently soliciting the money from Tei to cover the rental of a house on Jalan Medang Serai in Bukit Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur.
The funds were allegedly deposited into the bank account of a woman, Rahmalidya Buyong, between Nov 28, 2023 and Sept 23, last year at a bank in Country Heights, Kajang.
The alleged gratification was intended as an inducement for Shamsul Iskandar, who is the Melaka PKR chief, to assist companies linked to Tei in securing mineral exploration licences in Sabah.
However, the matter was unrelated to his official duties as an aide to the prime minister.
The charge, framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Shamsul Iskandar entered his plea before Sessions Court judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.
In the same court, Tei — whose registered name is Tei Jiann Cheing, 37 — pleaded not guilty to a charge of giving the bribe to Shamsul Iskandar for the same purpose and over the same period through Rahmalidya.
The charge, under Section 17(b) of the MACC Act, carries the same penalties.
Nasir allowed deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan’s application for both accused to continue under the same bail conditions granted at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court before judge Suzana Hussin yesterday, along with the additional conditions imposed there.
He also approved the transfer of both cases to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to be jointly heard with four other alleged corruption charges on Jan 8.
During today’s proceedings, Shamsul Iskandar was represented by defence counsel Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, while Tei was represented by defence lawyers Eric Paulsen, Rajesh Nagarajan and Mahajoth Singh.
Shamsul Iskandar and Tei now face a total of five corruption charges.
Shamsul Iskandar also pleaded not guilty yesterday to receiving RM176,829.03 in graft from Tei, while Tei claimed trial to giving the money to him.
Shamsul Iskandar and Tei are currently out on bail of RM150,000 and RM70,000 respectively.
