Labuan MP fails in bid to quash abuse of power charge

KUALA LUMPUR: Labuan member of parliament Datuk Rozman Isli today failed in his bid to strike out the charge of abusing his position to secure a contract three years ago.

Sessions Court Judge Rozina Ayob dismissed the application after finding that the court has no jurisdiction to quash the charge without a trial being conducted.

The court then fixed June 27, 28 and 29, July 7 and Aug 11 and 12 as dates for the trial as well as June 15 for case management.

Rozina also vacated the earlier set May 9 trial date.

On Feb 7, Rozman, 58, filed the application on the grounds that the charge under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 imposed on him was baseless either in terms of facts or law and was done with malicious intent besides abusing the court process.

On Oct 14 last year, Rozman was charged with using his position as an officer of a government agency or Deputy Chairman of the Labuan Port Authority to solicit bribes, namely to secure a contract as an operator of Dermaga Merdeka Pelabuhan Labuan for Syarikat Labuan Liberty Port Management Sdn Bhd, in which his father and younger brother have an interest in.

The offence was allegedly committed at the TKSU meeting room, Level 9, Ministry of Transport Malaysia, Jalan Tun Hussein, Precinct 4, Putrajaya, between 2.30 pm and 5.30 pm, on March 21, 2018.

The charge, framed under Section 23 (1) of the 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 not less than five times the value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.

-- BERNAMA