Kulim municipality department chief denies soliciting for projects

 

The director of Kulim Municipal Council's (MPKK) Engineering department pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court in Alor Setar yesterday to three charges of soliciting for projects for his family members and falsifying documents, two years ago.

The accused, Muhammad Tarmymy Che Ani, 41, made the plea after the charges were read to him before judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad.

According to the first charge, Tarmymy had used his position to suggest to the Kedah State Procurement Board that the company owned by his father and younger sister carry out resurfacing and maintenance of a road in Taman Tiram, Kulim, at a cost of RM200,000.

He is alleged to have committed the offence at the Kedah State Treasury and Finance Office, Wisma Darul Aman, Alor Setar, on Dec 12, 2019.

The offence under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, provides for a jail sentence not exceeding 20 years and a fine not less than five times the value of the bribe.

On the second and third charge, Tarmymy is accused of using falsified documents, namely, the Minutes of the Price Quotation Selection Committee Meeting dated Nov 27, 2019, and Minutes of the Price Consultation Committee on Phase 2 of MPKK’s Marris Project Allocation 2019 dated Nov 27, 2019.

Both offences are alleged to have been committed by the accused at the Kedah Treasury and Finance Office, Wisma Darul Aman, on Dec 5 and 26, 2019.

For both offences, Tarmymy was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code, which is and punishable under Section 465 of the same code, with a jail term of up to two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

MACC prosecuting officer Mohd Zulfadli Azharudin, who appeared for the prosecution, asked that the court set the bail at RM50,000 for the accused while defence counsel M Puveneswaran applied for a bail of RM20,000 as his client has to support his wife and child.

The judge then allowed bail of RM30,000 with one surety and set Feb 9 for case mention and submission of documents.

- Bernama