SHAH ALAM, 7 Feb 2018:
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Mohd Rafizi Ramli was today sentenced to 30 months’ jail by the sessions court here today after he was found guilty under the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (BAFIA) with disclosing banking information of four parties to the media six years ago.
Judge Zamri Bakar also handed down a similar sentence on former bank clerk Johari Mohamad after finding the man guilty of conspiring with Mohd Rafizi, who is also Pandan MP, in committing the offence.
Zamri handed down the sentence after finding the defence by Mohd Rafizi and Johari failed to raise reasonable doubts against the prosecution’s case, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Lailawati Ali.
The court, however, allowed a stay of the sentence pending an appeal following requests by lawyers Latheefa Koya – representing Johari – and Ahmad Nizam Hamid – who represented Mohd Rafizi.
Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution states that a person is disqualified as an MP if sentenced to jail for a term of not less than one year or is fined not less than RM2,000 and has not received a pardon.
Mohd Rafizi, 41, was charged with disclosing documents comprising balance summaries relating to NFC, National Meat & Livestock Sdn Bhd, Agroscience Industries Sdn Bhd and NFC chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail bank accounts to media consultant Yusof Abdul Alim and The Star reporter Erle Martin Carvalho.
He was charged with committing the offence at the PKR headquarters in Merchant Square, Jalan Tropicana Selatan, Petaling Jaya, on 7 March 2012.
The charge under Section 97(1) of BAFIA, punishable under Section 103(1)(a) of the same Act, carries a maximum three-year jail sentence or RM3 million fine, or both, upon conviction.
Johari, 47, also pleaded not guilty to conspiring with Mohd Rafizi on the same date and address. He is charged under Section 112 (1)(c) of BAFIA, and punishable under Section 103 of the same Act.
In KOTA BHARU, the Kelantan palace has revoked the ‘Datuk’ awards of two Parti Amanah Negara leaders.
Amanah vice-president Husam Musa and Kelantan Amanah chairman Wan Abd Rahim Wan Abdullah said in a statement today they were informed of the revocation of the awards in a letter yesterday from Kelantan state secretary Datuk Mohd Faudzi Che Mamat.
The letter stated that Sultan Muhammad V had withdrawn the Ahli Yang Kedua (Datuk Paduka) Bagi Darjah Kebesaran Jiwa Mahkota Kelantan Yang Amat Mulia (DJMK) (Al-Ismaili II) awarded to them, Wan Abd Rahim said at a press conference. Husam, who is the state assemblyman for Salor, was not present at the press conference.
Wan Abd Rahim also said that in keeping with the royal decree, Husam and he returned the awards and the relevant letters of appointment to the Comptroller of the Kelantan Royal Household, Nik Pakheruddin Nik Abdul Kadir, at 10 am today at Istana Balai Besar.
Reading out the statement made jointly with Husam, Wan Abd Rahim said the reason for the revocation of the awards was not stated in the letter and that they complied with the decree that came into effect yesterday.
“We take this opportunity to reiterate our undivided love and loyalty to His Royal Highness Sultan Muhammad V.”
– Bernama