SHAH ALAM: Two former Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) assistant enforcement personnel were today charged at the Sessions Court with agreeing to accept a bribe from the owner of a health and beauty centre two years ago.
Shah Fitri Abd Salim, 30, and Muah Pudali Shukor, 37, both pleaded not guilty to the offence before judge Rozilah Salleh.
The duo, who at that time were agents of MPSJ attached to the enforcement division for Puchong Zone, were jointly charged with agreeing to accept a RM800 bribe from the Shui Xian Beauty and Spa owner, known only as Chris, as an inducement to not take action against the centre that was operating without a licence.
The offence was allegedly committed at Jalan Puteri 5/2, Bandar Puteri Puchong in Petaling, Selangor at 7.15pm on July 30, 2015.
Meanwhile, Shah Fitri was charged with another three counts of agreeing to accept a RM3,000 bribe from the same person for the same reason on May 25, July 1 and Oct 16, 2015, at the same place.
Their charge under Section 17 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 carries a maximum sentence of 20 years jail and RM10,000 fine, or five times the value of the bribe, whichever is higher, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Hazirah Azeman proposed RM8,000 bail for each accused for the joint charge and RM12,000 bail for Shah Fitri's three charges.
In granting bail, Rozilah reiterated how serious the offence was.
"Here, I would like to emphasize that corruption is a serious crime... the counsel could say that you are not going to abscond but it is not them posting bail for you... the surety needs to be responsible in making sure you are present in court for your case," she said.
Rozilah granted a RM15,000 bail to Shah Fitri for all four charges and RM8,000 bail to Muah Pudali with one surety for each accused and fixed April 24 for mention.
Shah Fitri was represented by counsel Nor Azri Mohd Arif while Muah Pudali was unrepresented.
In the same court, MPSJ assistant architectural officer Mohd Suffian Mahamad Idris, 37, pleaded not guilty to accepting a RM4,500 bribe from Yau Wai Yuen as an inducement to not take action against her for purportedly committing an offence under Section 72 of the Drainage and Building Act 1974 for putting up interior partitions walls in a premises.
Mohd Suffian who works at the MPSJ Building Department was alleged to have committed the offence in a meeting room at AHF Industries Sdn Bhd, No 5, Jalan USJ 1/31, Taman Subang Permai, Subang Jaya at 2.45pm on June 20, last year.
Rozilah granted RM8,000 bail with one surety and fixed April 17 for mention.
The accused was represented by counsel Mokhzani Harris Yusof.