KUALA LUMPUR: Former Rural and Regional Development Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Arif Ab Rahman will stand trial on a corruption charge involving about RM627,833, along with his son.
Mohd Arif, 60, was charged at the sessions court today with abetting his son, Ahmad Zukhairi, and using his position to procure gratification from Mohd Safian Mohd Salleh, who is the director of Syarikat Wazlina Sdn Bhd, an installer company.
He is alleged to have accepted SG$200,000 (RM627,833) as an inducement for awarding a RM57 million Rural Electricity Supply (BELB) project pertaining to a solar hybrid system in four remote islands off Sandakan, Sabah, to Syarikat Eramaz (M) Sdn Bhd, via direct negotiation.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zukhairi, 35, was charged with receiving the same amount of bribe money for the same project.
Mohd Arif was seen consoling Ahmad Zukhairi by gently rubbing his son's back as they were seated next to each other inside the dock throughout the proceeding.
They were charged with committing the offences on Aug 23, last year, between 4pm and 7pm, at the Royal Lake Club, Jalan Cenderamulia here.
Their charge under Section 16 (a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of RM10,000, or five times the value of the bribe, whichever is higher, if convicted.
MACC deputy public prosecutor S.Thangavelu proposed RM1 million bail for each of the accused and for their passports to be surrendered to the court until the disposal of the case.
Judge Azura Alwi allowed RM200,000 bail and a surety to each accused and fixed March 20 for mention.
Mohd Arif and Ahmad Zukhairi were represented by lawyers Datuk Salehuddin Saidin, Afifuddin Ahmad Hafifi and Shamsul Sulaiman.