KUALA LUMPUR: A former Malaysia Building Society Bhd (MBSB) vice-president has been fined RM22,000 by the Sessions Court here for failing to report a bribe to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

       The bribe received by Norhayati Mohd Daud, 61, five years ago was a mere RM3,000.

       The court fined Norhayati after she pleaded guilty to the charge here on Friday (Oct 29).

       According to the charge sheet, Norhayati, who was MBSB's corporate recovery and project rehabilitation division vice-president at the time, was given a RM3,000 bribe that was deposited into her Maybank account by one Mohd Noor Siden, who was the director of Residenmas Development Sdn Bhd (RDSB).

       The money was given to her for suggesting that MBSB's board of directors approve an application to convert a RM60mil financial guarantee to a RM10mil bridging loan to RDSB and therefore Norhayati had breached the legal provisions of the MACC Act 2009 for not reporting the incident.

       She admitted to committing the offence at Maybank, Jalan Tun Perak on Feb 3, 2016.

       Norhayati was charged under Section 25(1) of the MACC Act 2009, which carries a maximum fine of RM100,000 or imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both, upon conviction.

       The accused, who was unrepresented, told the court that she was remorseful over what had happened and that she was deceived by Mohd Noor, 59.

       She asked for a minimum fine below RM10,000, saying that she had to support her family members.

       Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin asked the court to impose a fine between RM20,000 and RM25,000.

       He said the accused had not truthfully carried out her duty as the vice president of the company.

       "The accused has shown remorse by pleading guilty at the first instance but the court must consider her position and the obligation that she carried in the company.

       "She had betrayed her role in the company. The court must strike a balance in sending a message to the public, that the public must report any graft activities to the MACC because the anti-graft agency could not function alone (without the public)," he said.

       Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob then sentenced Norhayati to the fine in default of six months jail.