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New Straits Times

[UPDATED] Former Senate deputy president charged with accepting bribes, luxury cars

SHAH ALAM: Former Dewan Negara deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad claimed trial at the Sessions Court today to 20 charges of accepting bribes totalling RM235,000 and three luxury cars linked to a RM45 million land reclamation project in Melaka. Ali, 61, entered his plea after the 20 charges were read out to him before judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud. On 17 charges, Ali was accused of receiving in his capacity as managing director of Syarikat Puncak Jasasia Sdn Bhd and Syarikat Golden Heritage Development Sdn Bhd bribes totalling RM235,000 in cash from a "Datuk", who is a director of another company. On three charges, Ali was accused of accepting three vehicles — a BMW 730Li, a Range Rover and a Bentley Flying Spur — from the same Datuk. The bribes and luxury cars were allegedly inducements to appoint the Datuk's company as a contractor for "construction and completion of reclamation works and all related works" worth RM45.1 million. The reclamation work was for waters off Kota Laksamana, Kawasan Bandar 6, Melaka Tengah district, as part of Ali's company's mixed development project. Ali allegedly committed the offences at two premises in Glenmarie and Sungai Buloh between January 2017 and Jan 20 this year. The charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act are punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act. He faces up to 20 years' jail and a fine not less than five times the gratification amount, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib suggested that bail be set at RM60,000 with one surety and applied for the accused to surrender his passport to the court. Ali's lawyer, Md Yunos Shariff, agreed with the proposed bail sum for all charges. The judge allowed the bail amount, barred Ali from contacting any prosecution witnesses and ordered him to surrender his passport to the court. The court set July 24 for case mention.