Saravanan’s foreign worker quota corruption trial set for March

The sessions court here today set trial dates between March and August next year for former human resources minister M Saravanan, who faces three corruption charges involving RM1.097 million related to the approval of foreign worker quotas.

Sessions court judge Azrul Darus fixed March 4, April 12, May 24 to 27, Aug 17 to 19, and Aug 23 to 25 for the trial after both sides agreed on the dates, with Saravanan’s defence team pushing for the earliest possible trial.

Deputy public prosecutor Julaila Jamaludin informed the court that the prosecution submitted 31 pages of documents to the defence this morning. Defence counsel Geethan Ram Vincent confirmed the matter.

“The prosecution has submitted all relevant documents pursuant to Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code, paving the way for the defence to file its defence statement in accordance with Section 62 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009,” Julaila said.

She said the prosecution plans to call 25 witnesses. The court then ordered the defence to file its statement of defence by Jan 15, 2027.

Saravanan claimed trial to the charges against him on Aug 28.

He is alleged to have received RM150,000 and RM350,000 in cash from Vectica Resources Sdn Bhd director Tan Teck Lim, 65, through Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad, 38, at Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resorts and Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar, on June 16 and July 7, 2022.

The payments were allegedly inducements and rewards for Saravanan, then human resources minister, to approve TYKB Engineering Sdn Bhd’s application for 1,000 foreign worker quotas.

He is also accused of receiving RM597,000 from the same individual for the same purpose, via a cheque deposited into Big Seven Ventures Sdn Bhd’s account at Maybank Islamic Bhd’s Old Klang Road branch in Taman Desa on July 7, 2022.

All three charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

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