00:0115 charges, almost RM850,000, and a Penang Agency chairman says he's not guilty.
00:09Penang Regional Development Authority, or PERDA, Chairman Datuk Dr. Syaikh Hussein Maidin,
00:15has claimed trial to 15 counts of accepting bribes.
00:18The 53-year-old pleaded not guilty before Sessions Judge Irwan Swainbon on Thursday.
00:24He is accused of receiving RM847,107.61 in 15 separate transactions,
00:34allegedly from the director of a subcontractor company.
00:38The prosecution says the money was an inducement to appoint ATSH management as subcontractor
00:45on a RM23.27 million project received through Aliran Ilham Sendirian Berhad.
00:51The project was to complete abandoned works on a 10-storey hostel block
00:55at the Perdatek Institute in South Sebrangperai.
00:59The alleged payments ranged from RM45.51 to RM244,620,
01:06with the largest allegedly received on March 10 this year.
01:11Syaikh Hussein is charged under Section 16, Subsection AA of the MACC Act 2009.
01:17Each charge carries up to 20 years jail and a fine of at least five times the bribe amount
01:24or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
01:27The prosecution sought RM1 million bail and the surrender of his passport.
01:33The defence asked for lower bail and to keep the passport.
01:38The court set bail at RM300,000 with one surety,
01:42and ordered the accused to report to the MACC office every two months
01:46and surrender his passport, though he may apply for its temporary release.
01:51Syaikh Hussein, who is also Penang UMNO Deputy Chairman,
01:55says he has faith in the court system.
01:57Dan saya akan gunakan proses mahkamah, saya yakin dengan proses mahkamah
02:02bahawa bernyata boleh tersaikan dengan itu lah.
02:04Saya yakin insyaAllah saya boleh testify dengan teknikalis.
02:10Tidak ada keselawan dikatkan beberapa politik UMNO di polis.
02:15Sebagai pemimpin politik, saya mesti kata ini satu intimidasi politik.
02:19Saya dapat surat dakwaan semalam, saya didakwa pagi ni.
02:23Jadi mungkin ada intimidasi politik, tapi saya ingat rakyat bukan berdoa.
02:27Eh, rakyat suara pandai.
02:28Eh, dah kira siapa, rakyat pandai.
02:31Dia tahu menilai semua ni.
02:33Saya adalah salah seorang pada ahli majlis kejahat tertinggi UMNO
02:35daripada Pulau Penang.
02:37Datuk Aziz dengan Datuk Jamin Khe yang di Jawa lebih kurang dua bulan lepas
02:41adalah ahli majlis tertinggi UMNO daripada negeri Pidak.
02:44Kalau di utara ni, tiga ahli majlis tertinggi ni, kami tiga orang lah.
02:47Eh, di utara ni.
02:48So, kita boleh faham lah, lebih kurang eh.
02:51Tapi saya tidak menurut siapa-siapa lah.
02:52Saya yakin rakyat akan membuat keputusan yang tepat dalam TUD.
02:57The case returns on January 8 for submission of documents.
