JOHOR BAHRU: A director of a furniture company, Datuk Teo Wee Cheng, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to nine charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM12.87 million in connection with the Jana Wibawa project.

On two of the charges, Teo, 65, of SSH Furniture Sdn Bhd, was alleged to have solicited RM11.37 million, which is 10 per cent of the tender price for the upgrading project of the bypass from Jalan Sawah Baru to Tenang Stesyen, Segamat, worth RM39.75 million, and a road construction project from Kampung Belukar Durian to Persimpangan Felda Waha, Sedili, Kota Tinggi, worth RM74 million.

The money was alleged as a reward for helping Muar Usaha Bakti Sdn Bhd secure the project and as an inducement to agree to the appointment of TS Dynamic Construction Sdn Bhd as a sub-contractor for the project.

He was charged with committing the offences at the office of Trimetro Development Sdn Bhd, Jalan Majidi, Muar, between July 2021 and June last year.

For the remaining seven charges, Teo, who has four children, was alleged to have received bribes from two individuals amounting to RM1.5 million as a reward for helping Muar Usaha Bakti obtain the project to upgrade the bypass and as an inducement to agree to the appointment of TS Dynamic Construction as a sub-contractor for the road project.

The offences were allegedly committed at the office of SSH Furniture, Pagoh Industrial Area, Muar, between Aug 20, 2021, to Nov 15 last year.

The charges were framed under Section 16 (a) (A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (2009), which is punishable under Section 24 (1) of the law and provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the value of the bribe or a fine of RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail allowed Teo bail of RM500,000 for all charges with one local surety and to surrender his passport to the court.

The court set May 17 for mention for submission of documents.

The prosecution was conducted by MACC deputy director II (Legal and Prosecution Division) Ahmad Akram Gharib, while lawyer Cains Tan represented Teo.

-- BERNAMA