KUALA LUMPUR: A foreign oil services company senior officer was charged at the Sessions Court here for allegedly trying to cheat a Malaysian national oil and gas company to obtain bumiputera status for one of its subsidiaries three years ago.
Aker Solutions group senior vice-president Ahmad Hatta Kamaruzzaman, 50, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge before judge Izralizam Sanusi today.
Aker Solutions is Norway's largest oil services company and its three Malaysian subsidiaries - Aker Solutions Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Aker Engineering Malaysia Sdn Bhd (AEM) and Aker Solutions APAC Sdn Bhd - have several contracts with the national oil and gas company.
According to the charge sheet, the accused who is also the head of AEM had allegedly produced documents to deceive the national oil and gas company to enlist AEM as a bumiputera company by hiding the company's ownership status.
The accused was accused of committing the offence here on Aug 7, 2018.
The offence falls under Section 417 of the Penal Code which carries maximum jail sentence of five years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin urged the court to set bail between RM10,000 to RM20,000 against the accused.
Counsel S. Devanandan who represented the accused did not object to the suggestion.
The court set RM20,000 bail with one surety and fixed July 30 for mention.