KUALA LUMPUR: Two individuals, including a nephew of Sungai Buloh MP R Sivarasa, were charged in the sessions court today with three counts of soliciting and accepting bribes from a foreigner to “close a case” regarding abuse of academic credentials for the admission of foreign workers by a company.
Naveen Kularasa Rasiah and Nico Kam, a former employee of the MP, pleaded not guilty to the three charges under Section 16(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009
Judge Azura Alwi fixed Feb 24 as the date for next mention of the case.
Naveen and Nico were allowed bail of RM10,000 each.
Yesterday, Sivarasa claimed that the charges faced by Naveen and Kam were an “act of reprisal” for speaking out against Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki.
Sivarasa was the first MP to raise the issue of Azam’s share ownership in Parliament, which has since led to various investigations amid a public outcry.
Sivarasa said Naveen, who is also his service centre manager, was summoned to the MACC on Friday and told that he would be charged with offences relating to events that occurred in 2017.
Deputy public prosecutor Noralis Mat Rasyidah Azmi Kalai represented MACC, and Naveen was represented by M Puravalen. Kam was not represented.
On the first charge, Naveen and Kam are alleged to have solicited bribes from Mono Miah Siddikur Rahman, a Bangladeshi businessman who owns Dyna Maintenance Services Sdn Bhd, at Restoran Maluri, Kuala Lumpur, on Sept 17, 2017 as an inducement not to report him to the immigration department.
Mono Miah was said to have brought in migrant workers by using professional credentials for labour requirements.
On the second charge, they are alleged to have agreed to accept bribes amounting to RM45,000 from Mono Miah, through Kam, on the same date as an inducement to not inform the immigration department about the company.
On the third charge, Naveen and Kam are alleged to have received another RM20,000 from the businessman at Restoran Habeeb Jaya in Taman Maluri, Cheras on Sept 21, 2017.
The three charges are punishable under Section 24 of the same Act and read in conjunction with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
The punishment for all three charges is imprisonment of not more than 20 years, and a fine not more than five times the amount of the bribes, or a fine of RM10,000 or higher.
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