TAWAU: A Rela officer and a member of the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) pleaded not guilty at the Tawau Special Sessions Court for Corruption on Thursday to three charges each involving false claims for security patrol and disaster monitoring allowances amounting to RM29,440.
The accused, Lahad Datu district Rela officer Mohamad Ihsan Said, 42, and Rela member Radzmil Saadan, 38, entered their pleas separately after the charges were read before Judge Andi Razalijaya A Dadi.
Mohamad Ihsan faces three charges under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act.
On the first charge, he was alleged to have intentionally provided an agent, namely an Assistant Civil Defence Officer, with a document (Appendix M) containing materially false details in a summary of the Lahad Datu District Rela duty allowance claim for security patrol and disaster monitoring assignments during the Northeast Monsoon in November 2022.
The claim involved working hours that were allegedly higher than the actual hours worked, involving RM9,600, which he was alleged to have known was intended to deceive his principal.
For the second and third charges, he was alleged to have committed similar offences in January and February 2023 involving claims for December 2022 and January 2023, respectively, amounting to RM9,920.
Meanwhile, Radzmil faces three charges of abetting Mohamad Ihsan by checking the security patrol duty allowance claim forms on the same dates and at the same times.
The charges against Radzmil were brought under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act 2009, read together with Section 18 of the same Act, and punishable under Section 24(2).
The provisions carry a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the false or erroneous particulars, if ascertainable or monetary in nature, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The court set Oct 23 for mention of the case, while trial has been fixed for Nov 19 and 20, 2026.
The court also granted both accused bail of RM10,000 each, with RM3,000 deposited with the court, and one local surety with a permanent address and employment in Tawau.
Additional conditions imposed at the prosecution’s request included surrendering their passports to the court, reporting to the MACC office once a month and refraining from approaching or interfering with prosecution witnesses until the case is concluded.
Earlier, MACC prosecuting officer Norsham Saharom proposed bail of RM15,000 for each accused, saying the amount was reasonable and not excessive given that the total amount involved in the case was RM29,440.
However, lawyer Nur Hafizah Husna Elahab@Lahab, representing both accused, sought a lower bail amount, saying her clients were civil servants who had served for between 13 and 18 years, had four and two children respectively, and had fully cooperated with the MACC during investigations.
