KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — A senior official of a private company claimed trial at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today in the first-ever indictment under the Whistleblower Protection Act in Malaysia.

Wafiy Abd Aziz, 35, was charged Under Section 10 (3) (b), the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 (Act 711) for having caused a company employee to be fired after providing information to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) regarding misconduct committed by the accused.

Wafiy is accused of committing the act of harassing whistleblower Shahinuddin Shariff on January 9, 2020, at the office of Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS).

Wafiy influenced EMGS chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Mohamed Shariff to terminate Shahinuddin’s terms of employment after exposing Wafiy’s unreasonable actions to the MACC.

Sessions Court Judge Azman Ahmad set bail at RM15,000 with one local surer.

Wafiy has been barred from talking to other potential witnesses during the trial period.

The offence is punishable by up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a maximum fine of RM100,000 or both upon conviction

The Court set the trial date for 20 October 2020.