SHAH ALAM, Dec 5 — Businessman Albert Tei was brought to the Sessions Court again here today and charged with giving a bribe of RM64,924 to former Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, to help secure approval for a mineral exploration licence in Sabah.

Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, pleaded not guilty to the charge before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.

“I understand (the charge), I plead not guilty and claim trial,” said Tei.

Tei is charged with giving a bribe of RM62,924 to Shamsul Iskandar at a bank in Country Heights, Kajang, between Nov 28, 2023 and Sept 23, 2024.

The money, deposited into a bank account of a woman for rental payment of a house in Kuala Lumpur,  was allegedly an inducement for Shamsul Iskandar to assist companies that Tei had an interest in to obtain a licence to carry out mineral exploration in Sabah.

The charge, framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (MACC) [Act 694], provides a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of at least five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Judge Mohd Nasir allowed the prosecution’s application to use the same bail terms and conditions imposed by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday for a similar case facing Tei, and also ordered today’s case to be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutors Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan and Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar, while Tei was represented by lawyers Mahajoth Singh, Eric Paulsen and Rajesh Nagarajan.

Earlier, Farah Ezlin applied to the court for the same bail terms and conditions imposed on Tei in relation to the four corruption charges filed at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday.

“Yesterday, Tei was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, and we proposed bail, which was granted, RM70,000 with two Malaysian sureties, monthly reporting to the nearest MACC office, and additional conditions prohibiting interference with prosecution witnesses.

“We are also applying for this case to be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court 8, where the mention date has been set for Jan 8, 2026,” she said.

Judge Mohd Nasir subsequently allowed the bail terms and conditions set by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to be applied, and ordered the case to be transferred there to be heard together.

Yesterday, Tei was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with four counts of offering bribes amounting to RM176,829.03 to Shamsul Iskandar to facilitate the approval of a mineral exploration licence in Sabah.

He pleaded not guilty to all four charges before Judge Suzana Hussin. — Bernama