Conviction, jail term of senior MMEA man over RM28,000 ‘friendly loan’ upheld

A senior MMEA officer's conviction and six-month jail sentence for receiving RM28,000 from a shipping company director have been upheld by the Kuantan High Court. Judicial Commissioner Samry Masri ruled that Sulhan Zainon's conviction under Section 165 of the Penal Code was safe and did not require appellate intervention. Initially charged with 13 counts of corruption under Section 25(1) of the MACC Act, Sulhan was accused of receiving the money in exchange for not inspecting vessels belonging to the director and another company.

He was acquitted of both primary and alternative charges in 2023 but was ordered to enter his defence on the 13 alternative charges. Sulhan argued that the RM28,000 was a friendly loan from the director, which he partially repaid, but there was no written agreement on repayment terms. The court noted the unusual transaction pattern, with the director transferring RM2,000 regularly, and the remaining RM12,000 unpaid at the time of Sulhan's testimony.

The court also emphasized that public servants should avoid financial relationships that could lead to dependency or conflicts of interest. The six-month consecutive sentence for each of the 13 charges was deemed appropriate by the court.