Kudos to ACA Negeri Sembilan!

I wish to congratulate the NS ACA for their quick action this time in bringing the Lenggeng Assemblyman's case to court to be charged today. I have blog about this issue 2 days ago and urged the ACA to act fairly to regain their public credibility to encourage more people to come forward to help to fight graft. The public will do the country a big national service by coming forward to report cases and give information whenever they are being approached by corrupt officials.

Well, this is just the beginning. I urge the ACA to continue with their "hunt" and catch more "big fishes" instead of just "ikan bilis". The DAP will always give credit where credit is due. In this particular case, I would like to give a pat at the back of the State ACA Director! But i hope that they will do the same with other cases as well.



Friday September 5, 2008 MYT 3:32:32 PM

Lenggeng assemblyman charged with graft (updated)
By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: Lenggeng assemblyman Mustafa Salim was Friday charged at the Sessions Court here with two counts of corruption for allegedly receiving RM5,000 from a contractor on separate occasions near here last week.
Mustapha Salim - Filepic

The 50-year-old first term assemblyman allegedly took the money in return for his support for the contractor to obtain a permit to sell sand.

In the first charge, Mustafa had allegedly asked Manimaran Marimuthu for RM3,000 for a supporting letter to apply for the permit.

Mustafa allegedly asked the bribe through acquaintance Mustafa Pendek, 58, at Lot 1321, in the Pantai sub-district here at 11am on Aug 28.

In the second charge, he allegedly asked another RM2,000 from Manimaran three days later for the same purpose.

He allegedly committed the offence at 5pm at Restoran Jabrin Maju at No 17, Bunga Raya 2/1, Taman Bunga Raya 2 in Mantin.

(The state government had stopped issuing new permits to sell and mine sand for more than two years).

Mustafa, a former teacher, was charged under Section 10(a)(aa) of the Anti-Corruption Agency 1997 which is punishable under Section 16 of the same Act. If found guilty, he can be jailed up to 20 years and fined five times the bribe amount or a minimum of RM10,000, or both.

Mustafa, from Taman Desa Pelangi in Mantin, was arrested soon after he allegedly accepted RM2,000 from Manimaran at the restaurant.

He apparently panicked when the ACA officers introduced themselves and he is said to have tried to run away. However, he was arrested after he tripped and fell.

He was then taken to the ACA office here for questioning. His wife was with him when he was arrested.

Mustafa, a committee member of the Seremban Umno division, was released seven hours later on a RM3,000 bail after having his statement recorded.

Mustafa, who was in a suit, was calm throughout the proceedings. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.

About 20 of his supporters were also present in court Friday.

Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Razak Musa urged the court to impose a RM10,000 bail as the offence was serious.

"The court should impose a high bail as the accused had abused his position as an assemblyman," he said.

Mustafa's lead counsel Parameswaran Sundram asked the court for a lower the amount as Mustafa did not have a criminal record.

Mustafa was also represented by Rafizi Zainal Abidin and Abdul Halim Lokman.

Judge Kamarudin Kamsun then set bail at RM8,000 and fixed trial for Feb 26 and 27 next year.

Mustafa left with his supporters after posting bail at the registry. .