09/12/2025

TUESDAY | DEC 9, 2025

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RM2.7b lost to online scams

MP denies abetting bribery in farming project case

KUALA LUMPUR: Police recorded 67,735 online crime cases nationwide from January to November, involving losses exceeding RM2.7 billion. According to the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department, telecommunications scams topped the list with 28,698 cases, followed by e-commerce fraud with 14,881. Non-existent investment schemes had 9,296 cases reported, non-existent loan scams had 8,029, e-finance fraud had 5,853 and love scams had 978. “Losses from non-existent investments was over RM1.37 billion. This was followed by telecommunications crimes at RM715.7 million, e-finance crimes at RM458.1 million, e-commerce fraud at RM123.7 million, non-existent loans at RM59.1 million and love scams at RM43.7 million,” said police. The statistics reflect a worrying surge in cybercrime cases and the public is urged to act swiftly if they fall victim by immediately contacting their banks to block suspicious transactions. Victims are also advised to lodge a report with the National Scam Response Centre via the 997 hotline and file a police report for further action. – Bernama Teens plead guilty to injuring student SUNGAI PETANI: Two teenage boys pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday to injuring a student at a secondary school last month. The boys, aged 16 and 17, made the plea before magistrate Mohamad Azlan Basri. They are jointly charged with voluntarily causing hurt to the 17-year-old male student at a school hostel at 12.04am on Nov 24. The charge, under Section 323 of the Penal Code, provides up to one year’s jail, a maximum fine of RM2,000 or both, upon conviction. The court granted bail at RM1,000 in one surety each and set Dec 25 for mention for submission of their probationary reports before sentencing. The prosecution was conducted by DPP Nur Hazwani Md Nor while the boys were represented by lawyer Farah Azlinda Zahari from the National Legal Aid Foundation. – Bernama

SHAH ALAM: Padang Serai MP Datuk Azman Nasrudin pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here yesterday to a charge of abetting in a RM400,000 corruption case involving a Kedah-owned cattle farming joint-venture project five years ago. He made the plea after the charge was read out before judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin. According to the charge, the father of five is accused of abetting businessman Amar Assuat Abu Bakar, 41, in accepting a RM400,000 bribe from Mohd Hassanaim Fauzi, 39. The payment was allegedly given as a reward for assisting Mohd Hassanaim in securing a joint-venture beef cattle farming

o Court sets bail at RM75,000 in one local surety, orders accused to surrender passport

Hamid, Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif and Shahid Adli Kamarudin. Muaz Ahmad proposed bail at RM100,000, citing the accused’s position as an MP and the need for his passport to be surrendered to the court for safekeeping. Surendran objected to what he described as an excessive bail amount and opposed the request for the passport to be surrendered, Bernama reported. He argued that his 53-year-old client posed no flight risk, noting that as an MP he is required to attend parliamentary sessions, and he also has a wife and five children. The court set bail at RM75,000 in one local surety and ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court. The case has been fixed for re-mention on Jan 13, 2026. Surendran informed the court that the defence intends to file an application to strike out the charge before the re-mention date. In a separate proceeding before the same court, Amar Assuat pleaded not guilty to two charges of soliciting and receiving a RM400,000 bribe from Mohd Hassanaim to secure the cattle farming project. The offences were allegedly committed at a restaurant and on the roadside near a company in Section 9, Bandar Baru Bangi in Hulu Langat on June 20 and 23, 2020. He is charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009, which carries penalties under Section 24(1) of the same law. Mohd Nasir granted bail at RM75,000 in one surety and imposed additional conditions, requiring the accused to report to MACC monthly and surrender his passport to the court. The case has been fixed for mention on Jan 13, 2026.

project at the Ladang Fidlot Kedah Agro, Mukim Sungai Laka in Kubang Pasu, Kedah from Kedah Agro Holding Berhad (KAHB). Azman is accused of directing the KAHB CEO to issue a letter of offer to Mohd Hassanaim for the project. The offence was allegedly committed on June 23, 2020 at 5pm on the roadside opposite the office of Angsa Emas Beaute Sdn Bhd, Section 9 in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor. The charge is framed under

Section 28(1)(c) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, read together with Section 16(a)(A) of the same law, and is punishable under Section 24(1). If convicted, he faces up to 20 years’ jail and a minimum fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher. The prosecution was led by DPPs Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin and Asmaa’ Zamri while the accused was represented by lawyers N. Surendran, Nizamuddin Abdul

If convicted, Azman (left) faces up to 20 years’ jail and a minimum fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher. – BERNAMAPIC