KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Former Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan was charged in the Sessions Court here today with three counts of corruption involving RM1.097 million in connection with the approval of foreign worker quotas.
Saravanan, 58, who is also MIC deputy president, pleaded not guilty to all three charges after they were read out separately before Judge Azura Alwi.
For the first and second charges, Saravanan was alleged to have corruptly received RM150,000 and RM350,000 in cash respectively 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 received as an inducement and reward for Saravanan, in his capacity as Human Resources Minister, to approve an application by TYKB Engineering Sdn Bhd for 1,000 foreign worker quotas.
For the third charge, Saravanan was alleged to have corruptly received RM597,000 from the same individual through a bank cheque deposited into the account of Big Seven Ventures Sdn Bhd for the same purpose at Maybank Islamic Berhad, Old Klang Road branch in Taman Desa here on July 7, 2022.
All three charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 [Act 694], punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, 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.
