Hydropshoppe Sdn Bhd director Abdul Hamid Shaikh Abdul Razak Shaikh pleaded not guilty before judge Suzana Hussain at the sessions court here today.

He was accused of offering a bribe of RM500,000 a year for 15 years to one Tan Ser Lay for the benefit of former communications and multimedia minister Annuar Musa to expedite the acquisition process.

The alleged offence is said to have taken place at the ministry’s office in Putrajaya between July 2022 and August 2022.

The charge was framed under Section 16(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

If convicted, Hamid faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of at least 10 times the amount of the bribe offered, or both.

Suzana allowed the accused bail of RM50,000 in one surety. Hamid was also ordered to surrender his passport and report to the MACC office once every two months from May until the disposal of the case.

Separately, Hydroshoppe was charged in a different sessions court with the same offence, with Hamid claiming trial on behalf of the company as its director.

The charge against the company was framed under Section 17A(1)(a) of the MACC Act 2009 and is punishable under Section 17A(2) of the same Act.

The section provides for a minimum fine of RM1 million or a maximum 20-year jail sentence, or both, if convicted.

Judge Rozina Ayob allowed a separate RM50,000 bail with the same conditions as the previous charge.

The court fixed June 2 for mention and document submission, and to hear an application for a joint trial for the two charges.

Shu Ivy represented the accused while deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat prosecuted.

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