KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — The Environment Department's (DOE) director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court today to a charge of receiving a bribe, amounting to RM100,000, in connection with the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report in January last year.
The 59-year-old, as a public official, was accused of receiving a bribe from Sunrich Conquest Sdn Bhd director Khor Chong Hai, through a project manager at the same company, as an inducement to consider an appeal for exemption from preparing the EIA report.
The report involved an application for planning permission for the proposed construction of the Bukit Kukus paired road, and earthworks for mitigation on government land, at Jalan Bukit Kukus, Mukim 13 in the Timur Laut district, Paya Terubong, Penang, submitted by Geo Valley Sdn Bhd through a letter dated November 22, 2024.
The offence was allegedly committed at his office at Wisma Sumber Asli, Persiaran Perdana, Putrajaya, on January 15, 2025, and the charge was framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law.
The section provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe, or RM100,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib proposed bail of RM100,000 on one surety, taking into account the accused's position and the amount of the bribe involved.
“The prosecution also requests an additional condition that the accused’s passport be surrendered to the court until the disposal of the case,” he said.
Defence counsel Mohd Firdaus Ahmad, representing Abdul Latiff, applied for bail of between RM20,000 and RM30,000 on the grounds that his client is the main breadwinner of the family.
Judge Suzana Hussin allowed the accused to be released on bail of RM40,000 in one surety, with the additional condition that the passport be surrendered to the court until the disposal of the case.
The court fixed May 7 for mention.
