Charged with laundering RM935,000

THE former political secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Economic Planning Unit) Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop was charged with 28 counts of money-laundering involving RM935,000.

Hasbie Satar, 39, from Sarawak, claimed trial to committing the offences at the Sessions Court here yesterday.

He is said to have committed the offences by depositing the money into the accounts of 11 people, mostly his family members, at several banks in Salak Tinggi, Bandar Baru Bangi and Putrajaya between Feb 4, 2008 and June 18, 2009.

Under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, he was liable to a maximum fine of RM5 million or a jail term up to five years or both, if convicted.

This is the second time that Hasbie is facing a money-laundering charge. In February last year, he was charged at the Sessions Court in Butterworth, Penang, with a similar offence involving more than RM2 million.

His matter there will entail four days of trial beginning April 2.

At the Sessions Court here yesterday, head of Forfeiture of Property Unit Anselm Charles Fernandis proposed bail at RM100,000 for all the 28 charges.

He said the amount proposed took into account the amount allegedly involved.

Deputy public prosecutor Hazril Harun, who was assisting Anselm, also applied to transfer the cases here to Penang, to be jointly tried there because most of the witnesses who would be called to testify in both the trials are the same.

Counsel Y. Sheelan Samuagam, appearing for Hasbie, did not object to the application, butsaid the RM100,000 bail proposed by the prosecution was excessive.

"The Butterworth Sessions Court had granted my client a bail of RM60,000, so I propose that an amount of RM30,000 be fixed by the court," he said.

"My client is not a 'flight risk' as he himself has just returned from umrah. He will not abscond as he wants to clear his name."

Sheelan added that Hasbie had given his full cooperation during investigations.

Judge Aslam Zainuddin granted Hasbie RM90,000 bail with one surety and fixed April 20 for mention.

He, however, rejected the prosecution's application to transfer the cases to the Sessions Court in Butterworth.

Hasbie was the political secretary to Nor Mohamed when he was investigated by authorities.

He was appointed to the post in April 2008 and resigned three days after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission raided his apartment in February 2010.

Source: Nst.com.my