Shamsul Iskandar Hit With Another Sabah Mineral Exploration-related Bribery Charge

SHAH ALAM, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Former Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin was today charged with another bribery offence, this time at the Sessions Court here, involving RM64,924 linked to the approval of mineral exploration licences in Sabah.

Shamsul Iskandar @ Yusre Mohd Akin, 50, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.

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

Serving as the Senior Political Secretary to the Prime Minister at the time of the alleged offence, Shamsul Iskandar is accused of corruptly receiving RM62,924 from businessman Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, at a bank in Country Heights, Kajang, between Nov 28, 2023 and Sept 23, 2024.

The money was allegedly deposited into the bank account of a woman for the purpose of paying rent for a house in Kuala Lumpur, and was purportedly given as an inducement for him to assist companies linked to Tei in obtaining approval for mineral exploration licences in Sabah.

The charge was framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than 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 adopt the same bail terms and conditions imposed by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday, and ordered the case to be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutors Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan and Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar, while Shamsul Iskandar was represented by lawyers Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff and Joshua Tay.

Earlier, Farah Ezlin applied for the court to adopt the same bail terms previously imposed on Shamsul Iskandar in relation to four corruption charges at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday.

“Yesterday, he was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court and bail was set at RM150,000 with two Malaysian sureties, with additional conditions requiring him to report to the nearest MACC office once a month and to refrain from disturbing (prosecution) witnesses.

“We also request that this case be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court 14, with the mention date fixed for Jan 8, 2026,” she said.

Judge Mohd Nasir allowed the application and ordered the case to be transferred for a joint trial at the same court.

In Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Shamsul Iskandar pleaded not guilty to four counts of corruption totalling RM176,829.03, also in relation to the approval of mineral exploration licences in Sabah.

-- BERNAMA