Guide to Azeez's RM144m corruption, money laundering charges
KINIGUIDE | Baling MP Azeez Abdul Rahim today was slapped with 12 charges of corruption and money laundering, involving a total sum of RM144.6 million.
Nine of the charges under money laundering are for receiving RM139.4 million from various companies.
The remaining three corruption charges are for receiving RM5.2 million to help a company secure government projects.
Which are the companies involved?
Azeez is accused of receiving illicit funds from four companies between March 8, 2010, and Aug 30, 2018.
The main company involved in the charges against Azeez is Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, which gave RM42.5 million in total. News reports state that Menuju Asas is involved in several highway and road projects in the country.
Azeez also received RM70.8 million from Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd. The company's profile states that it is involved in road and bridge construction, as well as sewage projects.
Pintas Utama Sdn Bhd is alleged to have given RM22.4 million to the Umno MP. This company's profile states that it is involved in roadworks and construction.
The last company named in the charges against Azeez is AVP Engineering Sdn Bhd, which is listed as having given Azeez RM8.9 million. This company is involved in fabrication as well as the maintenance works for special purpose vehicles such as firetrucks.
What were the payments for?
The money laundering charges in which the four companies are named do not detail what the payments to Azeez were for.
However, the three corruption charges state that Menuju Asas director Mohammad Redzuan Mohanan Abdullah paid Azeez RM5.2 million to secure various road projects.
The first payment of RM1.2 million on Dec 8, 2010, was for Azeez's help to secure government tenders valued at RM197.8 million.
These were for three road projects in Kampung Gajah, Perak, and one road project in Kampung Merbau Kudung, Kedah.
The second and third payments of RM2 million each, in June 2017 and April 2018, respectively, were for Azeez's help to secure a government tender for road upgrading works in Teluk Intan, Perak.
This project was valued at RM644.5 million.
The charges that Azeez is facing
For the money laundering offences, Azeez is being charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla).
If convicted, he can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined at least five times the amount of the proceeds he received.
For the corruption offences, Azeez is charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act.
This carries a sentence of a prison term not exceeding 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification, upon conviction.
Meanwhile, Azeez's brother Abdul Latif is facing two charges under Section 28(1(c) of the MACC Act for abetting the Baling MP in receiving RM4 million from Menuju Asas director Mohammad Redzuan Mohanan Abdullah.
This is also punishable under Section 24(1) of the MACC Act.
This instalment of KiniGuide was compiled by Zikri Kamarulzaman.
