KL Tower graft trial: Hydroshoppe director gets temporary release of passport for work engagements

• Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin ordered for the passport to be returned from Thursday to March 20, and for it to be returned before or on March 21.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 22): The Sessions Court has allowed Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd director Datuk Abdul Hamid Shaikh Abdul Razak Shaikh's passport to be returned temporarily for him to attend work-related engagements in the US and Germany.

Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin ordered for the passport to be returned from Thursday to March 20, and for it to be returned before or on March 21.

Abdul Hamid's lawyer Weera Premananda informed the court that his client would have to make a working trip to the two countries. In support of the application, he also argued that Abdul Hamid had always adhered to all the terms set by the court prior to this.

Deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni did not object to the application.

Speaking to the press after the proceedings, Weera said that Abdul Hamid is involved in international exhibits to promote Malaysia to foreign tourists, through his other companies.

Abdul Hamid was charged in April last year for allegedly offering a bribe of RM500,000 per year over 15 years for the benefit of then communications and multimedia minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa in relation to the KL Tower concession takeover.

The charge was framed under Section 6(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for allegedly offering the bribe via one Datuk Tan Ser Lay, sometime between July and August 2022.

If convicted under Section 24(1) of the same Act, the director could face a jail term of up to 20 years, a fine of not less than five times the sum of the gratification given, or a maximum fine of RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Besides this, Hydroshoppe was charged with the same offence in another Sessions Court that same month as a commercial organisation, where Abdul Hamid also claimed trial.

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