Two marine officers pleaded not guilty in the Johor Bahru Sessions Court today to four charges of soliciting and receiving bribes totalling RM120,000 four years ago.

Sanizam Bachok and Nor Yazid Khairi Mohamad Nor claimed trial after the charges were read out to them before Judge Kamarudin Kamsun.

The judge allowed both of them bail of RM20,000 in one surety and set Feb 10 for case mention.

MACC prosecuting officer Norsyarina Raizan appeared for the prosecution, while the two officers were not represented.

Sanizam, 45, who was attached to the Southern Region Marine Department then, is accused of soliciting a RM70,000 bribe from one Lim Tiam Lay, 44, at the Subway Restaurant in Persiaran Ledang, Iskandar Puteri, on Nov 25, 2015, as an inducement to issue letters of approval for the operation of three vessels, Hai Tai 1, Hai Tai 2 and Hai Tai 3.

He was charged under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009, and Section 24 of the same act, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.

Sanizam, who now works in Penang, is also accused of having received a bribe of RM50,000 from Lim as an inducement to issue letters of approval for the operation of the three vessels, at the same restaurant on Nov 27, 2015.

For this offence, he was charged under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009, and punishable under Section 24 of the same act, which provides for a similar penalty if convicted.

Nor Yazid Khairi, 48, was charged with abetting Sanizam in soliciting RM70,000 from Lim at the Subway Restaurant in Persiaran Ledang, Iskandar Puteri, on Nov 25, 2015, as an inducement to issue letters of approval for the operation of the three vessels.

For the offence, he was charged under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act 2009, read together with Section Section 16(a)(B) and Section 24 of the same act, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.

Nor Yazid Khairi, who is still serving in Johor Bahru, was also charged with abetting in the soliciting of a RM50,000 bribe from Lim as an inducement to issue letters of approval for the operation of the three vessels.

For this offence, he was charged under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act 2009, read together with Section 17(a) and Section 24 of the same act, which provides for a similar penalty if convicted.

- Bernama