Mohd Zulfadli Nayan, 40, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge read before Judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail.

The accused, who is now attached to the MMEA headquarters in Putrajaya, is charged with receiving the bribe from Wan Mohd Fauzi Wan Kamaruddin, at a restaurant here on Oct 2 last year.

Mohd Zulfadli is alleged to have received the bribe as an inducement not to take action on investigations into the tanker Singa Gangsa that was detained by the MMEA on Sept 17 last year. The tanker is owned by Alamgala Resources Sdn Bhd

The court set bail at RM7,000 with one surety, and fixed June 29 for mention of the case.

MMEA sailor faces 43 bribery charges

An MMEA sailor, Haidir Ali, pleaded not guilty to 43 counts of receiving bribes amounting to RM35,400 between 2016 and 2020.

Adi Haidir, 43, was alleged to have received the bribes through money transfers at several banks in Kota Tinggi as an inducement to prevent Wan Mohd Fauzi’s vessels from being detained and inspected and having further further action taken.

The court fixed bail at RM5,000 with one surety.

In the same courtroom, an assistant maritime officer from the Marine Department, Alias Jaafar, was charged with receiving a bribe amounting to RM5,800, also from the same individual to expedite the flag state control inspection for his vessels.

The accused claimed trial to the charge in which he was accused of committing the offence at two separate banks in Jalan Skudai and Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru.

The court set bail at RM6,000 with one surety and fixed June 20 for case mention.