KUALA TERENGGANU – All 23 class F contractors charged with 43 counts of corruption, including falsifying claims, related to the repairs of fishermen houses in Dungun pleaded not guilty in the Corruptions Sessions Court in Dungun today.
Judge Murtazadi Amran has fixed Dec 16, to re-mention the case and allowed RM5,000 bail for each of the 23 contractors.
All the contractors were charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for corruption, including falsifying claims totalling RM200,000 involving the repairs and upgrading of 44 houses under the special housing scheme for fishermen in the Dungun parliamentary constituency.
If found guilty, each of the contractors could face a maximum jail sentence of 20 years and fined five times the amount of money involved or minimum RM10,000.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Investigation director Datuk Mohd Jamidan Abdullah said the MACC opened 63 investigation papers involving the repairs and upgrading of 223 houses belonging to fishermen by 63 Class F contractors.
He said the investigation started in March this year and of the 63 Class F contractors investigated, 23 were found to have elements of corruptions.
“They were found to have used sub-standard building materials, failed to complete repair works, failed to meet specifications, sub-contracting their contracts to others who were not qualified and made false claims,” he told reporters here today.
