PWD assistant engineer charged with five counts of corruption

ALOR SETAR: A Public Works Department assistant engineer was charged in the Sessions Court here today with five counts of bribery, including two for accepting bribes totalling RM105,000, in Aug last year.
Ishak Ismail, 56, however, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to all the charges.
Judge Zuhazmi Abdullah set March 28 for mention and allowed the accused bail of RM30,000 for all charges.
On the first count, Ishak was alleged to have solicited RM55,000 through a telephone call to a person known as "Adam" at 3.5pm on Aug 2, 2016, to endors the quotation for felling of tress, digging of tree stumps and maintenance o road railings to Hash Padu Enterprise, Tanjak Perkasa Enterprise and Sri Nadiy Enterprise.
The second count was for soliciting RM20,000 from Adam to endorse th quotation for felling of trees and digging of tree stumps in Sik from Panji Meg Enterprise .
The offence was committed at 8pm on Aug 4, 2016, in front of a hotel in Sungai Petani.
On the third count, Ishak was charged with accepting RM75,000 from Adam for the same purpose for works by Hash Padu Enterprise, Panji Mega Enterprise Tanjak Perkasa Enterprise and Sri Nadiya Enterprise.
Ishak was alleged to have accepted the bribe at his house at Batu 14 Simpang 3, Sungai Daun Yan at 4.45pm on Aug 9, 2016.
He was also charged with soliciting RM30,000 from Adam to endorse the quotation for tender work for maintenance and petty repair of slopes in the Sik district to ZNZ Warisan Enterprise through a short messaging service sent a 6.55pm on Aug 14, 2016.
On the last count, he was charged with accepting RM30,000 from Adam for th same purpose by ZNZ Warisan Enterprise at his house at 4.54pm on Aug 18, 2016.
All the charges are made under Section 16 (a)(B) of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 which provides an imprisonment for up to 2 years and fine of not less than five times of the value of bribe involved, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.
Earlier, lawyer Ramkarpal Singh, representing Ishak, requested for bail of RM50,000 for all charges as his client was retiring next month and it was his first offence.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor from MACC A. Hafiizh Abu Bakar — Bernama