Company director charged with offering bribes for Annuar Musa to expedite KL Tower deal

KUALA LUMPUR: Director of Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd Datuk Abdul Hamid Shaikh Abdul Razak Shaikh was charged at the Sessions Court here today with offering RM500,000 a year for 15 years for the benefit of Tan Sri Annuar Musa regarding the takeover of KL Tower concession, last year.

Abdul Hamid Shaikh, 49, however, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to the charge of offering the bribe through Datuk Tan Ser Lay, 60, as an inducement for the then Communications and Multimedia Minister to expedite the takeover process of KL Tower concession by the company.

He was alleged to have committed the offence at the Communications and Multimedia Ministry in Putrajaya between July and August 2022.

The charge, framed under Section 16(6)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of RM10,000 or five times the value of the bribe, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Meanwhile, the company, Hydroshoppe, as a commercial organisation, was also charged with committing the same offence with the same intention.

The company was charged under Seksyen 17A(1)(a) of the MACC Act which carries a fine of RM1 million or 10 times the value of the bribe, whichever is higher, or a maximum jail term of 20 years, or both, upon conviction.

Abdul Hamid also pleaded not guilty and claimed trial on behalf of the company.

June 2 was set for mention.

MACC deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat prosecuted, while Abdul Hamid was represented by lawyer Shu Ivy.

-- BERNAMA