.jpg "Former Tekun Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Datuk Abdul Rahim Hassan arrives at the Shah Alam Sessions Court to face bribery charges on January 9, 2017. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa")
SHAH ALAM, Jan 9 — Former Tekun Nasional head Datuk Abdul Rahim Hassan was charged with corruption today over an RM36,000 bribe.
The former chief executive and managing director of the government agency in charge of providing the Bumiputera funding to start businesses was charged with two counts of corruption at the Shah Alam Sessions Court here after allegedly accepting RM36,000 in 2015.
The sum, 10 per cent out of Tekun’s delinquent debt collection for November 2014, was alleged to be an inducement to conduct a transaction to help speed up payment to a debt collection company, Pasadana Sdn Bhd, amounting to RM360,000.
Abdul Rahim was accused of receiving the sum at the Shah Alam Club here from a Abdul Muhsin Abdul Rahman.
He was also charged with soliciting the RM36,000 via SMS to induce the said transaction between 8.30pm and 9pm on January 13, 2015.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Aida Adhha Abu Bakar proposed bail at RM20,000 for each charge, but Abdul Rahim’s counsel Hasnal Rezua Merican proposed a reduced sum.
In proposing a reduced bail sum, Hasnal said that his client is only a government pensioner with no assets overseas and would not jump bail and abscond.
Hasnal said that Abdul Rahim currently spends his time as a consultant to those dealing with the government.
Judge Asmadi Hussain then set bail at RM18,000 for both charges. The trial was set for March 13 till March 17.
Abdul Rahim was also ordered to surrender his travel documents to the court.
If convicted, Abdul Rahim stands to face a jail term not exceeding 20 years and a fine no less than five times the sum of bribe received, under Section 16 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
He can also be convicted under Section 24 of the same Act which stipulates similar penalties.
