UKM professor charged with accepting bribe to help secure contract

A PROFESSOR from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) pleaded not guilty in the Shah Alam Sessions Court today to a bribery charge amounting to RM5,701 for supplies, including student scarves, two years ago.

The accused, Ahmad Rifqi Md. Zain, 48, made the plea after two charges were read out in front of Judge Datuk Mohd. Nasir Nordin, reported Kosmo!.

Based on two charges, Ahmad Rifqi, as the principal of a residential college at UKM, had received a RM5,071 in cash from a 35-year-old man.

All the money deposited into the accused's bank account was as payment for helping a company secure a contract to supply and deliver collared T-shirts, lanyards, scarves, and ziplock bags for the needs of the college students for the 2023/2024 session.

The offence was committed at Wisma UNIKEB, Bangi on May 24 and June 2, 2023.

The charge was framed under Section 17 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, which can be punished under Section 24 (1) of the same Act.

The offence carries a penalty of a fine of at least 10 times the bribe amount or RM1 million, whichever is higher, or up to 20 years in prison, or both.

The prosecution was led by MACC prosecuting officer Mohd Aliff Shahruzaman and Deputy Public Prosecutor Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin. and MACC Prosecuting Officer, Mohd.

Rifqi was represented by lawyers Mohd Faizi Che Abu and Yusfarizal Yussoff.

The prosecution applied for bail to be set at RM15,000 and for Rifqi's passport to be impounded.

They also urged the court to require Rifqi to report to the nearest MACC office every month and to stay away from prosecution witnesses.

However, Faizi requested a lower bail of RM5,000 and for his client to keep his passport, citing his frequent overseas travel for academic purposes.

He said Rifqi was not a flight risk and attended court without needing arrest.

The prosecution then argued that Rifqi would not be denied his right to travel if the court impounded his passport as he could apply for a temporary release.

The court set bail at RM10,000 with one surety, ordered Rifqi to surrender his passport, report to the MACC monthly, and avoid contact with prosecution witnesses.

Case re-mention was set for May 13. – March 24, 2025