KUALA LUMPUR: Two men were each fined 100,000 ringgit by the Sessions Court for failing to report bribes received to secure subcontractor roles on the MEX II Highway project.
Judge Suzana Hussin imposed the sentence on storekeeper Lee Keng Long, 37, and independent consultant Chan Chee Keong, 67, after they pleaded guilty to separate charges.
Both men faced three months’ imprisonment if they failed to pay the fines, which they subsequently settled.
The court also approved the prosecution’s application to forfeit the seized money from both accused to the Malaysian government through the MACC.
Lee was accused of receiving a 500,000 ringgit cash bribe from Lim Kim Hai as a reward for lending his three companies to be used as subcontractors for Golden Base Construction Sdn Bhd.
Chan was accused of receiving a 1.4 million ringgit cash bribe from the same individual for acting as an intermediary to secure the three subcontractor companies.
Both were charged with failing to report the bribes to an MACC officer or the nearest police officer.
The offence was committed at a consultancy company in Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra between June 2017 and June 2018.
The charge was framed under Section 25(1) of the MACC Act 2009, which carries a maximum penalty of a 100,000 ringgit fine or up to 10 years’ imprisonment, or both.
According to the statement of facts, Lee was contacted by his acquaintance Ang Teck Ann, who invited him to meet Lim at an eatery in Klang around May 2017.
Ang informed Lee that Lim was seeking several companies to be used in a highway construction project without requiring them to perform any actual work.
Meanwhile, Chan was contacted by his acquaintance Boon Joon Siang, then Head of Finance at Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd, who said the company needed subcontractors for the MEX II Highway project.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutors Hazel Tan Jia Qi and Nidzuwan Abd Latip.
Lawyer K. Ramalingan represented both accused in court proceedings. – Bernama
