Senior Govt Officer Pleads Not Guilty To Securing Contracts For Wife

SEREMBAN, May 27 (Bernama) -- A senior officer with the Negeri Sembilan Youth and Sports Department pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to two charges of abusing his position to secure contracts for a company owned by his wife in 2021 and 2022.

Rosdi Pilus, 50, an S44 grade officer, entered the plea after the charges were read before Judge Darmafikri Abu Adam.

He is accused of abusing his position by processing an RM19,990 payment voucher for the procurement of accommodation and refreshments for the Southern Zone Packaging Design and Product Labelling Technology Course, a contract that was awarded to MAAR Diversified Enterprise, owned by his 51-year-old wife.

He is also accused of approving RM5,000 in favour of the same company for the procurement of services for the state-level 2022 National Sports Day programme. 

Both offences were allegedly committed at the Negeri Sembilan Youth and Sports Department on Nov 18, 2021 and Feb 23, 2022, respectively.

He was charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 [Act 694], which is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment and a minimum fine of five times the gratification sum or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Zainab Yahaya requested that the court impose a bail of RM15,000 for both charges.

However, the accused’s lawyer, Muhammad Wajih Zakwan Hanif, appealed for a minimum amount, citing his client’s financial constraints, low flight risk and full cooperation with MACC during the investigation.

The court subsequently allowed bail at RM5,000 with one surety for both charges and fixed the next case mention for July 7. 

-- BERNAMA