KUALA LUMPUR: A former Rural and Regional Development Ministry secretary-general and his son were charged in the Sessions Court here yesterday with corruption involving RM550,000 in 2016.
The case concerned a rural electrification project in Sandakan, Sabah.
Datuk Mohd Arif Ab Rahman, 60, and Ahmad Zukhairi Mohd Arif, 35, separately claimed trial to the charge.
Mohd Arif allegedly conspired with his son to corruptly accept US$200,000 while he was still the Rural and Regional Development Ministry secretary-general, from Mohd Safian Mohd Salleh, a director of Syarikat Wazlina Sdn Bhd.
He is accused of receiving the money as gratification for ministry approval worth RM57,500,000 through direct negotiations (Design and Build) of solar hybrid systems for rural electrification in four remote islands in Sandakan, Sabah to Syarikat Eramaz (M) Sdn Bhd.
He allegedly committed the offence at Royal Lake Club, Jalan Cenderamulia here from 4pm till 7pm, on Aug 23 last year.
Ahmad Zukhairi is accused of receiving the same amount for himself and his father for the same purpose at the same place, time and date.
Judge Azura Alwi set bail at RM200,000 with one surety each, as well as a land title as deposit, and March 20 for remention.
Earlier deputy public prosecutor A.S Thangavelu from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission proposed RM1 million bail with one surety for each accused and an additional condition that they surrender their passports to the court.
The DPP also informed the court that Ahmad Zukhairi would be charged with another case of corruption at the Shah Alam Sessions Court this afternoon.
However, counsel Datuk Salehuddin Saidin who represented the two accused mitigated for a bail of RM100,000, submitting that their assets and money had already been seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
The lawyer said there was no risk that his clients would abscond, that they had also given their full cooperation to the MACC throughout the investigation.
Counsel said his clients also agreed to allow the court to retain their land title as deposit. — Bernama