Judge Rosli Ahmad meted out the fine after Rostam pleaded guilty to the alternative charge here today.
The prosecution offered the alternative charge after the Attorney-General’s Chambers accepted the accused’s representations, which were submitted last month.
Rostam was charged with failing to report that one Rosman Alias, on behalf of Satunas Technologies Sdn Bhd, had given him RM90,000 as a kickback to award the company a contract.
The offence was committed at Bayou Diner Restaurant 51 in Puchong on Feb 20, 2023.
The charge was framed under Section 25(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable by a maximum RM100,000 fine, up to 10 years in prison, or both.
Rosli also ordered the forfeiture of almost RM1 million in funds previously seized by MACC, as well as a RM114,000 bond paid for seven luxury watches and two cars.
During mitigation, Rostam’s lawyer Dzulkifli Ahmad said his client was willing to have all of the seized funds, including some RM180,000 in a Tabung Haji account, forfeited as part of his punishment.
Dzulkifli appealed for his client to be punished with the maximum fine rather than a jail term, saying it was Rostam’s first offence and that his record had been clean since joining Prolintas in 1998.
He also said that his client, who has five children, suffered from high blood pressure.
According to the case facts, Satunas Technologies chairman Fauzi Daud and Rosman, a Malaysian Highway Authority employee, met Rostam in November 2022 to inform him of their interest in the company becoming a “step-in contractor” for the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Expressway.
In February 2023, after Satunas Technologies received the letter of award, Rostam asked Rosman for kickbacks.
Rosman then asked for RM100,000 from Fauzi. A sum of RM80,000 was obtained from Satunas Technologies owner Azmi Abdul Hamid, while Fauzi personally chipped in RM20,000.
Of the RM100,000, Rosman gave RM90,000 to the accused and kept the balance for himself.
Rostam received another RM20,000 and RM70,000 from Rosman in March and April the same year.
The case facts show that the accused used some of the money to buy seven luxury watches for himself and two cars registered under his two daughters.
Further investigations revealed that on Jan 27, 2023, the accused received RM180,000 from Syarikat Muhibbah Perniagaan & Pembinaan, which was deposited into his Tabung Haji account.