SHAH ALAM: A Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) Information Technology Division director pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court, here today, to two counts of using her position to obtain bribes, by recommending two companies linked to her husband.
According to the first charge, Norzuriati Zainol Rashid, 44, is accused of using her position to obtain bribes by recommending a company related to her husband, Syed Rosdi Syed Mohd, 46, to implement the proposed ICT services for training management system maintenance and support works (E-Training) at MHA, with a tender worth RM98,800.
She was also accused of using her position by recommending another company, also related to her husband, to carry out the proposed ICT services for the works to improve the interim payment tracking system (IPAYS) Version 2.0 to Version 3.0' at MHA, with a tender price of RM212,500.
The accused is alleged to have committed both offences at Wisma Lebuhraya KM6, in Hulu Langat, on Sept 12, 2019 and April 24, 2020. She is charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (MACC) 2009, which can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same law.
If convicted, she can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Meanwhile, Syed Rosdi was accused of abetting his wife Norzuriati, in using her position to obtain a bribe by recommending a company to carry out a project, with a tender price of RM98,800, in the same location on Sept 12, 2019, and he was charged under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act 2009 and, read together with Section 23(1), can be punished under Section 24 of the same law.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutors Siti Amirah Muhammad Ali and Mohd 'Afif Ali proposed bail of RM40,000 for Norzuriati and RM20,000 for Syed Rosdi, with the additional condition of surrendering their passports to the court and reporting to the Putrajaya MACC office every month.
Lawyer, Wan Juhrah Muntek, who represented the two accused, appealed for a lower bail on the grounds that her clients had cooperated well throughout the investigation.
Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud set bail of RM35,000 for Norzuriati and RM20,000 for Syed Rosli, and allowed the additional conditions proposed by the prosecution, in addition to ordering both accused not to disturb or contact witnesses.
In a different court, Syed Rosdi pleaded not guilty to a charge of abetting Norzuriati in using her position to obtain bribes, by recommending a company to implement the proposed ICT services for works to improve the interim payment tracking system (IPAYS) Version 2.0 to Version 3.0' at LLM, with a tender price of RM212,500.
He was accused of committing the offence at the same location on April 24, 2020, and the charge was framed under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act 2009 and, read together with Section 23(1), can be punished under Section 24.
Judge Datuk Anita Harun allowed the prosecution's application to use the bail and additional conditions set by Judge Awang Kerisnada earlier, and both courts set March 21 for mention. -- BERNAMA
