Pegawai bomba didakwa minta, terima rasuah RM11,500

Johari Bar Azwar, a 40-year-old Bomba officer, appeared before the Alor Setar Sessions Court to face three charges of requesting and receiving RM11,500 in bribes to obtain support letters for bomba licensing applications in 2024 and the previous year. Johari, who serves as the KB9 Supervisor at Sungai Petani Zone 2 JBPM Office, admitted to receiving RM1,500 in cash from Khaw Kok Aun, a 66-year-old businessman, to obtain bomba licensing support letters for his company.

The alleged offense occurred at a restaurant in Amanjaya Mall, Sungai Petani, around 12:30 pm on April 4, 2024. This charge, under Section 17(a) of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Enforcement Authority Act 2009 (SPRM), could result in a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine of at least double the bribe amount, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Johari also faced a second and third charge of requesting and receiving RM10,000 in cash from Lim Zhan Xian, a 27-year-old businessman, to obtain bomba licensing support letters for two companies on February 3, 2025. The alleged offense took place at an industrial premises in Taman Ria Jaya Industrial Area, Sungai Petani, on February 4, 2025.

For these charges, Johari was accused of violating Section 16(a)(B) of the SPRM Act 2009 and could face up to 20 years' imprisonment and a fine of at least RM10,000. Johari's solicitors, Mohd Zulfadli Azharudin, Muhammad Syafiq Ahmad, and Nur Azimul Azami, requested a minimum bond of RM16,000 for all charges, citing the financial responsibilities of their young children, their wives, and their elderly parents aged 65 and 75. The court approved the RM16,000 bond and set a rescheduling date for September 9.