Wednesday September 2, 2009
Ex-company adviser denies bribing ministry official
KUALA LUMPUR: A former direct-selling company adviser has pleaded not guilty to bribing a senior ministry official last year.
Lim Pin Kong, 70, from Kepong, was said to have offered a RM10,000 bribe to then Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry chief assistant director Mohd Talal Abu Bakar as an inducement to expedite the process for the approval of a direct-selling licence for T-Mix Corporation Sdn Bhd.
Lim was accused of committing the offence at the ministry in Precint 2, Putrajaya at about 5pm on Jan 22.
If convicted, he can be jailed up to 20 years and fined not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, under Section 11(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.
Mohd Talal, who is employed at the ministry’s direct selling unit, had lodged a complaint over the alleged bribe on Jan 25 last year.
DPP Ng Yunn Yiing asked the court to set bail at RM15,000 in one surety.
Pleading for a lower bail yesterday, Lim’s lawyer Datuk N. Sivananthan asked the court to consider his client’s pensioner status, age and the amount of the alleged bribe.
Sivananthan said Lim had gone to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office 19 times to assist investigations into the case.
Sessions Court judge Rosbiahanin Arifin granted bail of RM10,000 in one surety and set Oct 5 for mention, pending the supply of documents to the defence.
In another Sessions Court, a Thai national was jailed 12 months and fined RM10,000 for offering a bribe worth RM254 to a police constable as an inducement not to take legal action against him.
Anan E-Pong, 20, from Pattani, who is a restaurant worker, admitted to having bribed Kons Bong Hon Choo to avoid being arrested for having an expired passport along Jalan Duta at 7.45am on Aug 2.
Anan was also fined another RM10,000, in default five months jail, for overstaying in Malaysia on the same day.
Pleading for leniency before Sessions Court judge Abu Bakar Katar earlier, Anan said he has to care for five siblings and an elderly mother in Thailand on his RM20 a day salary.
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