Pho Cho, 37, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before judge Anita Harun.

The electrician was charged with giving the bribe to the officer stationed at KLIA Terminal 2 to allow the nine foreigners, also from Myanmar, to enter the country without going through the proper inspections.

He was charged with committing the offence at a food court in Indah Puteri, Kampung Baharu Lanjut, Sepang, at about 3.55pm on Oct 31, 2023.

The charge was framed under Section 16(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the Act, which provides for up to 20 years imprisonment and a minimum fine of RM10,000, upon conviction.

Lawyer Ungku Imran Athari asked the court to allow Pho to post bail as it was his first alleged offence. He said Pho, who has been living here for 18 years, promised to fully cooperate throughout the trial.

Anita fixed bail at RM70,000 in one surety and ordered Pho to surrender his passport and to report himself to the MACC office every month pending disposal of the case.

She fixed Sept 30 for case mention.

Last week, MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said the agency busted a syndicate allegedly orchestrated by certain enforcement officers, which allowed foreigners into the country without going through proper inspections.

He said MACC had detained 12 people, including five enforcement officers posted at KLIA’s Terminal 2.