KUALA LUMPUR: A Home Ministry official confirmed in court that Sayed Amir Muzzakkir Al Sayed Mohamad served as political secretary to then Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin from 2020 to 2021.
Home Ministry Human Resources Division undersecretary Nik Noraini Nik Ya informed the Sessions Court that the accused held the post from March 18, 2020 to August 16, 2021.
She stated that his duties and responsibilities were based on direct orders from the then Home Minister and the end of his service was due to a Cabinet reshuffle that occurred following the change of government.
Nik Noraini testified that she did not know the accused personally but merely of his existence as the Home Minister’s political secretary when asked by deputy public prosecutor Atirah Mohd Azuarizanuddin.
She was giving her witness statement as the prosecution’s third witness at the trial of Sayed Amir Muzzakkir, who is facing three corruption charges involving a total of 350,000 Malaysian ringgit in bribes.
Sayed Amir Muzzakkir is charged with two counts of receiving 350,000 Malaysian ringgit in cash bribes from NexusCorp Group Sdn Bhd’s managing director, Wan Azhar Mohamed Yusof to help the company secure the tender to maintain and supply the spare parts for the infrastructure, server, software, and RMPNET radio system for the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), worth 381,112,042.44 Malaysian ringgit.
The offences were allegedly committed at the office of Yayasan Tanah Aku, Solaris Dutamas here, at 4 pm on December 4 and 3.30 pm on December 16, 2020.
Sayed Amir Muzzakkir is also charged with soliciting a cash bribe of 350,000 Malaysian ringgit from the same individual for the same purpose at the Nexuscorp Group Sdn Bhd office in Section 7 Industrial Area, Shah Alam, Selangor, at 4 pm, early December 2020.
The charges are framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, or 10,000 Malaysian ringgit at whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Hazel Tan Jia Qi leads the prosecution, while lawyers Md Yunos Shariff and Asmadi Hussin represent the accused.
The trial before Judge Rosli Ahmad will resume on Thursday. – Bernama
