FORMER Sabah Water Department deputy director Teo Chee Kong claimed trial on 146 money laundering charges and on funds collected through unlawful activities.

Teo, 52, pleaded not guilty on 146 charges at the sessions court today.

He faces 78 counts of money laundering under the section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing Act and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act and 68 counts under section 4 (1) (b) of the same act.

Sessions Court Judge Nixon Kennedy Kumbong fixed bail at RM1.5 million, with a RM500,000 deposit.

Teo was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court and report himself to the MACC office every Saturday between 8am and 8pm.

MACC prosecuting officer Tengku Amir Zaki requested for the bail to be set at RM10 million, arguing that the case was of public interest as it involved the biggest cash seizure in the country done by the commission.

Teo, who was represented by counsels Hamid Ismail and Roland Cheng, argued that he had in the past given his full cooperation to the MACC and has never failed to turn up each time he was being called for questioning.

Co-counsel Hamid also said the RM10 million bail was too excessive and requested the bail set at RM1 million.

MACC arrested Teo yesterday afternoon after he was called for questioning by the commission, a year after the Sabah Water Department scandal broke in October last year.

Teo and the department’s director Ag Tahir Ag Talip were detained on October 4, 2016 as the MACC probe confiscated, jewelleries, handbags, cars, land titles and others worth around RM114 million, along with RM53.7 million in cash. – December 13, 2017.