KUALA LUMPUR — Former human resources minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan today claimed trial to three charges of corruptly receiving RM1.097 million in bribes linked to the approval of 1,000 foreign-worker quotas for a company.

The 58-year-old Tapah MP pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.

The three charges involve alleged bribes of RM150,000, RM350,000 and RM597,000, which the prosecution claims Saravanan received from Vectica Resources Sdn Bhd director Tan Teck Lim through Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad.

According to the first charge, Saravanan allegedly received RM150,000 in cash from Tan through Syed Amirul on June 16, 2022, at Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resorts.

The payment was allegedly an inducement for Saravanan, then the human resources minister, to approve an application for 1,000 foreign-worker quotas for TYKB Engineering Sdn Bhd. 

For the second charge, Saravanan allegedly received RM350,000 in cash from Tan through Syed Amirul on July 7, 2022, at Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar.

The prosecution alleges the money was given as a reward for Saravanan approving the same application for 1,000 foreign-worker quotas for TYKB Engineering. 

The third charge alleges that Saravanan received RM597,000 from Tan through Syed Amirul on the same day.

The money was allegedly paid through a Maybank Islamic cheque numbered 273704, which was deposited into a Maybank Islamic account belonging to Big Seven Ventures Sdn Bhd at the bank’s Jalan Klang Lama branch.

The prosecution again alleges the payment was a reward for Saravanan approving TYKB Engineering’s application for 1,000 foreign-worker quotas. 

All three charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and are punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

Upon conviction, the offence carries a maximum 20-year jail term and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.