MELAKA, April 13 — Former political secretary to former Melaka chief minister Tan Sri Idris Haron pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to 12 counts of accepting bribes totalling RM408,736 in 2017 and 2018.

On the first count, Datuk Rosli Hasan, 52, was charged with accepting a bribe of RM323,736 in the form of renovation work on the house belonging to his wife in Taman Pokok Mangga between May 2017 and February 2018.

On 11 other charges, he was alleged to have accepted bribes in the form of credit card payments totalling RM85,000 between May and October 19, 2017.

He was alleged to have accepted the bribes as an inducement to help a company secure a contract to design and build a mosque, multipurpose hall, shop lots and a garbage dump on Lot 341 and 345, Mukim Bachang, worth RM5.28 million.

The charge under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of RM10,00 or five times the value of the bribes, whichever is higher, if convicted.

Deputy public prosecutor Irwan Shah Abdul Samad prosecuted, while Rosli was represented by lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork. Judge Elesabet Paya Wan set May 16 for remention. — Bernama