SHAH ALAM: A Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) deputy director and an enforcement officer were charged with soliciting and receiving bribes to protect premises allegedly involved in prostitution today.
Muhammad Irwan Abdullah, 44, and Zahari Muhammad, 34, however, pleaded not guilty when they were brought before Sessions Court judge Datuk Anita Harun this morning.
They were accused of soliciting a monthly cash bribe of RM200,000 as an inducement to refrain from taking legal enforcement action against an unlicensed entertainment outlet under the care of Chan Sai Loke near Puchong in February.
They were charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act read together with Section v4 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum 20 years jail term and a fine of not less than five times the value of bribe or RM10,000 whichever is higher.
The duo was also charged with accepting a monthly cash bribe of RM160,000 from the 62-year-old caretaker at the same place and time.
Muhamad Irwan also faced an additional charge of accepting a bribe of RM130,000 from the same individual at the restaurant's parking lot around 9pm on June 5.
MACC prosecuting officer Mohd Aliff Shaharuzaman asked the court to impose RM50,000 bail against each of the accused.
He also asked the accused to report to the MACC office every month and surrender their passport until the disposal of the case.
Lawyer Mak Ahh Keong who appeared for Muhammad Irwan pleaded for minimum bail by stating that his client is the sole breadwinner to his family.
Zahari's lawyer Ahmad Faiz Munawar also pleaded for minimum bail by stating that the former also needed to support his elderly mother in Pahang.
The court set RM15,000 bail for each of the accused and fixed Sept 30 for mention.
It was reported that the Kuala Lumpur MACC arrested three civil servants including a deputy director on suspicion of accepting bribes monthly from premises offering massage services and operating as prostitution dens in the city.
Last month, it was reported that the MACC arrested eight enforcement officers for the suspected involvement of accepting bribes from business premises operating in the city with licence or using 'Ali Baba' licences.