Ex-Tekun CEO claims trial to graft charges

> He was ordered to surrender his passport and bail was set at RM18,000

SHAH ALAM: Former managing director and chief executive officer of Tekun Nasional Datuk Abdul Rahim Hassan claimed trial to two counts of corruption at the sessions court yesterday.

On the first charge, he is alleged to have solicited RM36,000 as an inducement to help speed up the collection process by Pasadana Sdn Bhd, a debt collection company, amounting to RM360,009 via SMS between 8.30pm and 9pm on Jan 13, 2015.

He was also charged with allegedly accepting the RM36,000 bribe which represents 10% of the collection of “Hutang Lapuk Tekun Nasional” for November 2014 from Abdul Muhsin Abdul Rahman as an inducement to help speed up the collection process by Pasadana Sdn Bhd amounting to RM360,009 at around 9.30pm at the lobby of Kelab Shah Alam, here on Feb 15, 2015.

For both the charges under Section 16 (a) (A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, he could face a 20-year jail term and fine if convicted.

MACC deputy public prosecutor Aida Adhha Abu Bakar proposed bail at RM20,000 in one surety for each charge.

In asking for a lower bail, Abdul Rahim’s counsel Hasnal Rezua Merican said his client was a retiree currently providing consultancy services with the government with no assets overseas.

Hasnal added that the charges involved the same transaction and allegedly took place two days apart.

Sessions court judge Asmadi Hussain set bail at RM18,000 in one surety for both charges and ordered Abdul Rahim’s passport to be surrendered to the court.

The court then fixed March 13 to March 17 for trial.The 62-year-old was arrested by MACC officers at his home in Bukit Bandaraya at 5.15pm on Sunday.

Prior to yesterday’s case, Abdul Rahim had faced two charges of graft in November 2015.

The former top executive of Tekun Nasional had claimed trial at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court to two counts of obtaining RM200,000 to approve two loan applications by a company owned by his son-in-law and niece.

Abdul Rahim was charged with using his position as managing director and chief executive officer of the government agency under the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry to get RM100,000 by approving the loan application for a pioneer project of Syarikat Dynamind Enterprise, which belonged to his son-inlaw.