The Shah Alam Sessions Court today sentenced a trader to a day's jail and fined RM19,000 for bribing an officer from the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (MDTCC) last year.

Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh handed down the sentence on Eu Wee Siang, who pleaded guilty to the offence.

Eu, 27, was charged with giving a RM9,950 bribe to MDTCC enforcement officer Nazrul Hisham Hamadi as inducement not to take action against him for selling cooking gas without a licence.

The offence was committed at Wee Siang Trading, No 296 Bt 11 Jalan Klang Banting, Teluk Panglima Garang, on Dec 30, 2009.

Eu was earlier charged under Section 17 (b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act which carried a jail sentence of up to 20 years and fine of five times the sum of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

However, last week Eu pleaded guilty to an alternative charge made under Section 214 of the Penal Code which carried a jail sentence of up to three years and fine, if found guilty.

Eu was represented by lawyer Nurul Aeir Muhammad Harvian Kamar, while prosecuting officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Hung Heng Hong, prosecuted.

Two-years' jail for court interpreter 

Meanwhile, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court sentenced a court interpreter to two years' jail and fined RM15,000, in default six months jail, for graft.

Judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh handed down the sentence on M Vasanthakumar, 40, after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing the case beyond reasonable doubt.

He ordered Vasanthakumar, 40 to serve the sentence from today, but allowed a stay of the sentence pending an appeal following a request by lawyer Hanif Khatri Abdullah.

However, Azhaniz Teh, rejected a request by Hanif Khatri to allow his client to pay the fine in installments.

Vasanthakumar was found guilty of accepting a RM3,000 bribe from one M Manickvasagam as an inducement to make changes in the notes of evidence for purpose of reducing the sentence imposed by the Klang Sessions Court in an appeal case involving his (Manickvasagam) brothers-in-law.

The offence was committed in the court interpreter's room on Jan 5, 2004.

- Bernama