KUALA LUMPUR: A Chinese national and five others were fined between RM6,000 and RM10,000 by two separate Sessions Courts here today for bribing law enforcement officers to protect their business activities involving foreigners using 'Ali Baba' licences.
The six were handed down the sentence after they pleaded guilty to alternative charges under Section 214 of the Penal Code for offering gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening an offender.
Judge Roziana Ayob sentenced Teng Hui to a RM10,000 fine after he pleaded guilty to the offence. She also sentenced K. Punithan, 43, and Jamaludin Asim, 58, who is also a permanent resident, to RM8,000 fines each.
In a separate Sessions Court, Judge Suzana Husin sentenced Azhar Abu Bakar, 59, and Idrus Muhammad, 38, to RM6,000 fines each, while 53-year-old Romzi Abidin was fined RM8,000.
According to the facts of the case, the six offered bribe of between RM200 and RM500 to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) integrity and standards department enforcement assistant officer Mohd Zahaymie Zakaria.
The bribe was an inducement for Mohd Zahaymie not to seize their premises under Section 101(1)(v) of the Local Government Act 1976 for offences such as operating without a business licence, hiring foreign workers without valid permits, and allowing foreign workers to work without valid permits.
The six committed the offences at several premises in Jalan Pudu and Jalan Imbi between October 2022 and July 2023.
The original charge was made under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption (MACC) Act 2009.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Irna Julieza Maaras, along with MACC prosecuting officers Mohamad Ashraf Mustafa and Afiqah Ab Razak, prosecuted the case.
The prosecution proposed that the court impose heavy penalties against the six, taking into account the seriousness of their crimes and the issue of 'Ali Baba' licenses.
The six, who were unrepresented, appealed for leniency, citing family responsibilities and financial constraints due to health issues.
The judges later ordered the bribe money used in the case to be confiscated and forfeited to the government.
Yesterday, the MACC detained five locals, two foreigners, and one permanent resident for allegedly bribing enforcement officers to protect foreign business activities using 'Ali Baba' licenses.
The suspects, comprising six men and two women, aged between 30 and 50, were arrested during a special operation, dubbed Op Star, conducted by the graftbuster in collaboration with DBKL.
The operation involved inspections of premises, including grocery stores, clothing shops, phone accessory shops, eateries, and barber shops.