'Datuk Seri' claims trial to soliciting, accepting RM15 million in bribes

KUALA LUMPUR - A company director with a Datuk Seri title pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM15 million to secure projects from the Home Ministry in 2021.

Datuk Seri Sim Choo Thiam, 53, entered the plea after the charges were read out to him before Judge Rozina Ayob.

He is facing a charge of soliciting a bribe amounting to RM15 million from Asia Coding Centre Sdn Bhd managing director Hep Kim Hong through Syed Abu Zafran Syed Ahmad.

The money was an inducement for then home minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin to help Asia Coding Centre secure projects under KDN agencies.

Sim was also charged with three counts of accepting RM15 million in bribes from the same individual as an inducement for Hamzah to do similar things.

The offences were allegedly committed at two different locations - Shaas Holdings office and a parking lot at Solaris Dutamas, Jalan Dutamas 1 here, some time in June and on July 30, 2021.

The charges were framed under Section 16 (a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000 whichever is higher, if convicted.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib proposed bail of RM1 million with one surety, with additional conditions that the accused must surrender his passport to the court and report himself to the MACC office in Kuala Lumpur every month.

Lawyer Low Wei Loke, representing the accused agreed to the bail amount and additional terms proposed by the prosecution and told the court that his client would pay the bail today.

The court set bail at RM1 million with one surety for all four charges and fixed June 14 for case remention. - BERNAMA