The director-general of Malaysia’s Department of Survey and Mapping faces two counts of abusing his position to obtain gratification for overseas trips
KUALA LUMPUR: Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM) director-general Datuk Hazri Hassan was charged in the Sessions Court here today with two counts of abusing his position to obtain bribes totalling more than RM130,000 involving funds from the Land Surveyors Board (LJT).
Hazri, 57, who is also LJT chairman, pleaded not guilty after both charges were read out before Judge Suzana Hussin.
On the first charge, he is accused of using his position as LJT chairman to obtain a bribe of RM30,201.16 for his own benefit.
The offence is linked to his involvement in an LJT board meeting which discussed his participation in the 14th Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) in New York, from Aug 4 to 9, 2024.
On the second charge, he is accused of using his position to obtain a bribe of RM105,914 for his personal benefit.
It is in connection with his involvement in an LJT board meeting relating to his participation in meetings in Madinah and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from Jan 29 to Feb 4, 2025.
Both offences were allegedly committed at the LJT board meeting room, Wisma LJT, Pusat Bandar Melawati, on Aug 3, 2024, and at a hotel here on Dec 31, 2024.
The charges, under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, provide for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib informed the court that both parties had held discussions and agreed to bail of RM70,000 in one surety, in addition to the surrender of the accused’s passport to the court.
“Although this is a non-bailable offence, it is within the court’s discretion to grant bail. We have discussed the matter with the defence and have no objections,” he said.
Lawyer Muhammad Amin Othman, representing the accused and assisted by lawyer Amirah Batrisyia Adam Khan, applied for the RM70,000 bail to be settled in two instalments — RM50,000 today and RM20,000 on Friday.
Suzana set bail at RM70,000 in one surety, allowed it to be settled in two instalments, and ordered Hazri to surrender his passport.
The court fixed June 4 for mention of the case.
