Malaysia Crime Watch

29 February 2008
Kuala Lumpur

51-year-old Mahathir Shahabudin previously from Bank Negara’s Property and Services department was charged in court with five counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM26,985 from two directors. The suspended Housekeeping Unit employee claimed trial to all charges.

The first charge was against Mahathir accepting RM300 via his Maybank bank account from First Choices Services director Anuar Paharudin as an inducement to retain the company’s refuse disposal contract at the Jalan Tun Perak branch on 18 November 2005 at 2:06pm.

He was then alleged to have received RM300 from Anuar for the same contract at the same branch location on 2 December 2005 at 4:47pm. On 20 October 2005 at 1pm, Mahathir allegedly accepted another RM800 from Anuar for the same purpose.

The fourth charge was about Mahathir receiving RM8,575 in a cheque that he deposited into the same bank account which was given by Indramuz Sdn Bhd director Azhar Ibrahim on 30 December 2005 as an inducement to call the company to do the carpet cleaning jobs at Bank Negara.

Finally, Mahathir was alleged to have accepted a RM17,010 cheque from Azhar for the same purpose at the same place on 16 February 2006.

Mahathir faces a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of five times the amount of the bribes for each charge if he is found guilty under Section 16 of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997. On 29 May 2007, he also claimed trial to eight bribery charges at the Ampang Sessions Court.

The judge set bail at RM10,000 for all charges and set two days from 13 August 2008 for hearing.

The Star Online – Suspended Bank Negara exec charged with receiving bribes
<URL:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/29/nation/20080229163446&sec=nation>

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