A former senior aide to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pleaded not guilty Monday to multiple bribery charges linked to a mineral exploration permit.
Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, 50, faces four charges of accepting cash, furniture, and electrical appliances. The alleged bribes were for facilitating approval of a mineral exploration license in Sabah state.
The total value of the alleged bribes is 176,829 Malaysian ringgit, approximately $37,134 USD.
Businessman Albert Tay Jiencheng, 37, also pleaded not guilty to four related charges of offering the bribes to Shamsul. Both men appeared before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
Shamsul resigned from his position as senior political secretary to the prime minister on November 25, 2023.
One charge alleges Shamsul accepted 100,000 ringgit (about $21,000 USD) cash from Tay at a hotel parking lot in Kuala Lumpur on November 24, 2023. Another charge specifies 40,000 ringgit (about $8,400 USD) cash accepted on January 29, 2023.
Further charges detail Shamsul’s alleged acceptance of furniture and electrical appliances worth 14,580.03 ringgit (about $3,060 USD) on January 31, 2024, and an additional 22,249 ringgit (about $4,670 USD) worth of similar items.
If convicted, Shamsul could face up to 20 years in prison. He also faces a fine of at least five times the bribe value or 10,000 ringgit (about $2,100 USD), whichever is higher.
The court granted Shamsul bail of 150,000 ringgit (approximately $31,500 USD). Conditions include reporting monthly to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), surrendering his passport, and avoiding contact with prosecution witnesses.
The MACC stated that additional charges for both Shamsul and Tay would be filed at the Shah Alam court later this week. The next court hearing is set for January 8.
The charges follow a period of heightened scrutiny over corruption claims in Malaysian politics.
Prior to a Sabah state election on November 29, media reports highlighted Tay’s previous claims of transferring 629,000 ringgit (approximately $132,000 USD) to Shamsul. These funds were allegedly for house renovations, cigars, and suits.
These reports emerged shortly after Shamsul’s resignation, which was itself linked to issues concerning certificates for government project bids. The controversy generated ripples during the final days of the Sabah election campaign.
Prime Minister Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan alliance secured only one out of 22 contested seats in that election.
Tay has reportedly been involved in a significant dispute with the local ruling party, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah, after his mineral exploration license was revoked.
He recently gained attention for releasing a secretly filmed video that he claimed exposed bribery negotiations with local politicians. Despite presenting himself as a whistleblower, Tay was also charged alongside two Sabah politicians in a separate bribery case.
All individuals in that case denied wrongdoing. They alleged Tay was retaliating after failing to secure government contracts.
A third individual, Sofea Reena Buyong, identified as Shamsul’s representative, was arrested Thursday night. She will not face charges and is designated as a prosecution witness.