A general manager in the government-linked company Sime Darby was charged this morning with corruption in the Shah Alam Session Court.

NONE Zamri Mohd Iderus, 39, is the first top Sime Darby manager to be charged by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) following revelations of massive cost overruns incurred by the conglomerate.

 However, the prosecution has refused to confirm if today’s charges are related to the overruns.

He was accused of allegedly receiving two cheques of RM99,000 to reveal information to a bidder for a copper nickel piping contract in 2008 and also in the same year an architectural work contract worth RM14, 430,000.

Zamri, who is the general manager for business development and  international projects in Sime Darby Marine, is charged under section 11(a) of Anti-Corruption Act 1997, which is related to giving or accepting gratification by agent.

He was also charged under section 132(2)(b) of Companies Act 1965 for abusing company information for personal interest.

Zamri pleaded not guilty and the Sessions Court set bail at RM10,000. He has also been ordered to surrender his passport.

Under the first charge, he is punishable with not less than 14 days and not more than 20 years in jail or fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe.

On the charge of revealing information, he can be punished with a five -year jail term or fined RM30,000 or both.

 The accused is represented by Jason Tay with the prosecution led by Anthony Kevin Morais. Justice Y A Azhaniz Teh Azman has fixed Sept 28 as the mention date.

Massive losses

The multi-portfolio company has been the target of much bad press since it was revealed on May 13  that it had incurred whopping over-runs of RM964 million.

This is mostly due to troubled projects under its energies and utilities division - Qatar Petroleum (QP), Maersk Oil Qatar (MQP) Marine and the Bakun dam.

NONE As a result, the board of directors asked Sime Darby president and group chief executive officer Ahmad Zubir Murshid ( left ) to take a leave of absence, prior to the expiry of his contract on Nov 26. To date, no action has been taken against Zubir.

He was later replaced with former group managing director of Felda Holdings Mohd Bakke Salleh in a bid to stabilise the company.

The worst may yet be over for the plantation giant as they are expected to announce a historical loss on Aug 26.

Sime Darby has, however, refuted such claims, saying that it estimates to be "in the black" for this financial year.

Last June the flagship GLC recorded its first-ever quarterly loss of RM309 million. The last time it posted a six-month loss was after the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.