SHAH ALAM: Four businessmen, including one with the “Datuk” title, have been charged in the Sessions Court here with 21 counts of money laundering involving millions of ringgit in connection with the issuance of Temporary Employment Visit Passes (PLKS).
Datuk Ab Aziz Abdullah, 44; Muhammad Semail, 43; Mohd Hariza Mohd Yusof, 34; and Abu Yazid Mohd, 38; all pleaded not guilty to the charges read out before judge Rozilah Salleh yesterday.
Ab Aziz was charged with nine counts of money laundering totalling RM2,683,960, including owning four branded watches, condominiums and apartments at Taman Ukay Perdana and Subang Perdana near here, which are proceeds from unlawful activities, between Sept 21, 2015, and April 6, 2021.
Muhammad was charged with using RM854,513.90 in the form of cash and cheques, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, as payment for the purchase of two luxury vehicles at two car dealers in Sungai Buloh and Kajang near here on Nov 5, 2018, and Jan 22, 2019.
Mohd Hariza was charged with six counts of owning cash, a house, watch and luxury car totalling RM1,023,900, as well as foreign currencies of 1,590 in Saudi riyal (RM1,771); 18,400 in Thai baht (RM2,323); 1,650 in Chinese yuan (RM1,091); and US$2,045 (RM8,557); which are believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, at Taman Ukay Bistari and Taman Ukay Perdana, Ampang, between Feb 3, 2016, and April 6, 2021.
Abu Yazid, reported Bernama, was charged with four counts of owning cash of RM44,400; 7,900 in riyal (RM8,802); and two apartments, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, at Taman Ukay Perdana between Dec 26, 2017, and April 6, 2021.All the charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which provides for imprisonment of up to 15 years, a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of proceeds of illegal activities or equipment of offence at the time the offence was committed or RM5mil, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Rozilah allowed all the accused to apply bail imposed by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Thursday, where the four accused were charged with similar offences.
She also allowed all of yesterday’s cases to be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Nik Hasline Hashim prosecuted, while all four accused were represented by lawyer Md Yunos Sharif.
On Thursday, all four accused and Ab Aziz’s sister, Anita Abdullah, 47, pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to 81 counts of money laundering involving millions of ringgit in connection with a syndicate issuing the PLKS.