Getting slapped with a summon or notice is never a good thing for business owners as not only is it an inconvenience, but also leaves a stain on their public record.
A man who wanted to avoid such an incident tried to bribe his way out of it, only to find himself getting caught, jailed and fined a hefty amount for his deed.
M’sian man bribes council staff to avoid being reported for poor cleaning job
NST reported that according to the case facts, the accused, 44-year-old Mohammad Zaki Jamian, was given a 36-month sub-contracting works to clean Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) food stalls in Section 24 from Aug 1, 2020 to July 31, 2023.
Zaki was later informed by a council staff, who was appointed to supervise the job, that a Notice To Correct (NTC) will be issued against him if he did a shoddy cleaning job or if the public complained about the level of cleanliness.
Not wanting that scenario to happen to him, Zaki, who owned a cleansing services company, made a total of six transactions totalling RM3,500 from his company’s bank account to the council staff as a means to not issue the NTC for cleaning works claims from September 2020 to November 2021.
Jailed for a day, fined RM30,000 by court
Eventually, Zaki was brought to the Shah Alam Sessions Court to face charges under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, which is punishable under Section 24(1).
It provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years, a fine not more five times than the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Zaki, who was spotted walking with a limp on his right leg, pleaded guilty and expressed remorse before judge Datuk Anita Harun, pleading for a lenient sentence as it was his first offence.
He told the court that he had to provide for his wife and two kids and revealed that he suffered a stroke two years ago, causing him to undergo weekly rehabilitation which costs RM350 and was the reason for his limp leg.
Anita later ordered Zaki to serve a day in jail and pay RM30,000 in fines in default of six months in jail if he failed to pay the fine.
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