Former Petronas executive slapped with more corruption, money laundering charges

SHAH ALAM: A former executive of Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (PCSB) was charged with another 41 counts of corruption and five counts of money laundering amounting to almost RM9.65 million involving maintenance works at the Sessions Court here today.

Mohd Amal M. Razalan, 36, who is a father of two, pleaded not guilty after all the charges against him were read before Judge Rozilah Salleh.

"For the first to 41st charge, the accused is alleged to have received bribes amounting to RM9.4 million from four individuals, namely, Synergy Spectular Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Mohd Hakimin Mohd Zubir; Faltech Engineering Sdn Bhd director Faisol Mustapha Idris; Majestika Sdn Bhd director Mustaza Zawawi and SAP House Sdn Bhd project manager Robert Khoo, through cheques and online transfers from Maybank Berhad accounts belonging to several companies, through MGV Energy Sdn Bhd."

He is accused of committing the act in collusion with the director of MGV Energy, Muhammad Nazreen Abd Hamid, as an inducement for performing any transactions related to his duties, which are to certify more than 50 job completion tickets to PCSB and help Faltech Engineering obtain works with regard to the provision of civil and structural maintenance services for PCSB.

The charges were framed under Section 16 (a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 read together with Section 28 (1)(c) of the Act and punishable under Section 24, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Mohd Amal was also charged with five counts of receiving RM252,042.92 through several bank accounts belonging to him and one Maybank Berhad Corporate Credit Card account belonging to MGV Energy from the Maybank Berhad account belonging to MGV Energy, whereby all the monies are believed to be obtained from illegal activities.

The charges framed under Subsection 4(1)(b) of Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, are punishable under subsection 4(1) of the same Act, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of proceeds from illegal activities, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.

All the acts were allegedly committed at several Maybank and Hong Leong Bank branches in Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya and Puchong, near here, between Aug 29, 2018, and March 18, 2022.

Earlier, MACC Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin requested for bail to be set at between RM200,000 to RM300,000 in one surety for all charges.

"The form of bail imposed should reflect the seriousness of the offence, and this amount offered is reasonable," he said.

Lawyer Datuk Hasnal Rezua Merican, who represented Mohd Amal, appealed for a lower bail on the grounds that his client had been bailed at RM180,000 on Jan 4 at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for over 40 other charges.

"I beg the court to consider that all my client's assets have been frozen, the surety has to find a source to pay the bail.

"My client is also the main breadwinner of the family, he supports his wife, two children and siblings in addition to his father who is now suffering from permanent paralysis," he said.

Hasnal Rezua said the accused was relieved of his services from Petronas in May last year, while he had also cooperated well with the MACC throughout the investigation.

The court allowed the accused to be bailed at RM100,000 in one surety with RM70,000 to be paid today and the rest before the mention of the case on Jan 30.

On Jan 4, the man was charged with 37 counts of corruption and six counts of money laundering involving more than RM6 million.

-- BERNAMA