PPSPM CEO charged with receiving RM260,000 in bribes

MELAKA (June 15): Melaka River and Beach Development Corp's (PPSPM) chief executive officer (CEO) pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to four counts of accepting bribes, amounting to RM260,000 three years ago.

Mohd Fariz Mohd Ali, 38, made the plea after the charges were read out to him before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.

He was charged with receiving bribes totalling RM260,000 from LEC Impressions Sdn Bhd CEO Lim Boon Peng, through a third party, by the name of Osman Abdul Rahman in four transactions.

The money was allegedly an inducement for the accused to help the company secure a project to supply 10 Melaka River Cruise boats to PPSPM.

The offence was allegedly committed in Taman Peringgit Jaya and Taman Puncak Bertam here between Jan 4 and Nov 15, 2017.

The charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine not less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Mohd Fariz also pleaded not guilty to four alternative charges of accepting for himself something valuable with no reciprocity, namely RM260,000 from Lim in four transactions at the same date and place.

The charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term up to two years or a fine, or both, if found guilty.

MACC Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin appeared for the prosecution, while counsel Mohamed Shahrul Fazli Kamarulzaman represented the accused.

Judge Mohd Nasir granted bail at RM50,000 in one surety for all the charges with additional conditions, namely the accused had to report himself to the Melaka MACC office and surrender his passport to the court.

The case will be mentioned on July 23.