KUALA LUMPUR — Former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman was charged on Monday (Nov 5) with 35 counts of corruption involving US$63 million (S$86.69 million) in relation to timber concessions in the state between 2004 and 2008.

He claimed trial to all charges after pleading not guilty before judge Rozila Bakar at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court on Monday afternoon.

All charges were made under Section 11(a) of the Anti Corruption Act 1997 which referred to the offence in giving or accepting gratification by agent.

Musa was accused of receiving the bribes through several international bank accounts in Hong Kong and Singapore between 2004 and 2008.

The offence was alleged to have taken place during his capacity as Sabah Chief Minister and chairman of Yayasan Sabah to award timber projects in the state.

If convicted, Musa may be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than fourteen days and not more than twenty years and a fine of not less than five times or RM10,000 (S$3,299.01), whichever is the higher for each of the charges.

It took interpreters about 45 minutes to read out all the 35 charges.

Bail was set at RM2 million, and the judge ordered RM1 million to be paid on Friday and another RM1 million by November 14 with two sureties.

Judge Rozina also instructed Musa to surrender his civil and diplomatic passports to the court until the trial is over.

Musa was arrested after giving his statement at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) headquarters in Putrajaya at 10.05am on Friday.

Later at the court lobby, Musa questioned why he was charged with corruption in connection with timber concessions in the state, claiming the cases happened at least a decade ago.

He also insisted that he had already been cleared of the allegations at that time by then de facto law minister Nazri Aziz in Parliament.

“It was about 10 to 14 years ago, why now coming again? And it was also cleared by the minister in-charge at that time in Parliament, Nazri,” he said.

He said  he and his lawyers will fight the charges in order to clear his name.

“There’s no case against me but now suddenly I have to face this case. I don’t know whether this is politically motivated,” he added.

Musa was chief minister from 2003 until the May 9 General Election when Barisan Nasional lost the state government to Warisan, led by Shafie Apdal.

Shafie was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 10 after securing a simple majority, but lost the majority when several assemblymen from United Malays National Organisation (Umno) and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) jumped ship to support Mr Shafie’s party.

Musa joins his former Barisan Nasional counterparts who have also been charged with corruption ― former prime minister Najib Razak and former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who both face a mammoth list of charges.

Najib faces 38 charges of money laundering, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad and its former subsidiary SEC International Sdn Bhd.

Ahmad Zahid, who is currently Umno president, has been slapped with 45 charges related to CBT, money laundering and corruption. AGENCIES