Ex-RMAF man charged with seeking RM1.2mil bribe

KUALA LUMPUR: A retired Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) officer has been charged for the second time this week at the Sessions Court with bribery-related offences he allegedly committed nearly six years ago.

Lt-Col (Rtd) Kamal Baharin Nali, 48, is accused of asking for a RM1.2mil bribe from Ab Rahim Ghalim as an inducement to obtain an outstanding payment of RM14.5mil to settle 52 invoices for contract works carried out by ARG Tech Sdn Bhd. The firm is owned by Ab Rahim.

Kamal Baharin allegedly committed the offence at Cafe Hotel Marriot Putrajaya, IOI Resort City, in September 2011.

He was charged under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission Act 2009 and faces a maximum 20 years in jail and a fine of at least five times the value of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh from the MACC offered bail at RM200,000.

Lawyer Datuk Jagjit Singh, however, said the accused did not earn much as a civil servant and asked for RM10,000 bail.

“He retired last year and has a pension of RM4,000 monthly to sustain his family. This is his first offence.

“He has been with the air force for 24 years and served his country,” Jagjit said.

Judge Madihah Harullah fixed bail at RM100,000 in one surety. The case is fixed for mention on July 3.

On Monday, Kamal Baharin was charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court with another RMAF officer with allegedly accepting a RM600,000 bribe from Ab Rahim in December 2011.

That case has been fixed for mention on June 16.