MP guilty of making false claims

[Ganesha]

Found guilty: Abdul Rahman, followed by pressmen, leaving the Sessions Court in Shah Alam yesterday

SHAH ALAM, Malaysia - Sabak Bernam MP Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakri was found guilty by the Sessions Court here on eight counts of making false claims amounting to RM80,000 (S$33,336) four years ago.

The court, however, postponed sentencing to today following a request from his lawyers Mohd Afifuddin Hafifi and Lim Kon Keen.

Mohd Afifuddin, in applying for the postponement, said his client would face a large fine and needed time to prepare.

Abdul Rahman can be jailed between six months and 20 years and fined not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, for each charge.

The Barisan Nasional MP was charged in November 2009 with eight counts under Section 11(c) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 for allegedly ma*-king false claims of RM10,000 each for events that never took place.

He was accused of having committed the offences when he was Sungai Air Tawar assemblyman prior to the 2008 general election.

Abdul Rahman's aide Mohd Rosli Busro was also found guilty by the same court on eight counts of abetting his boss.

In his ruling yesterday, judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh said the prosecution had succeeded in establishing its case beyond reasonable doubt against both accused.

DPP Datuk Abdul Razak Musa from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com*mission prosecuted.

A total of 39 prosecution and two defence witnesses took the stand.