LABUAN lawmaker Rozman Isli today failed in his bid to strike out the charge of abusing his position to secure a contract three years ago.

Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob dismissed the application, ruling that the court has no jurisdiction to quash the charge without a trial being conducted. 

The court then fixed June 27 to 29, July 7 and August 11 and 12 as dates for the trial as well as June 15 for case management. 

Rozina also vacated the earlier set May 9 trial date. 

On February 7, Rozman, 58, filed the application on grounds that the charge under section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 was baseless either in terms of facts or law and was done with malicious intent.

He also said it was an abuse of court process.

On October 14 last year, Rozman was charged with using his position as an officer of a government agency or deputy chairman of the Labuan Port Authority to solicit bribes, namely to secure a contract as an operator of Dermaga Merdeka Pelabuhan Labuan for Syarikat Labuan Liberty Port Management Sdn Bhd, in which his father and younger brother have an interest in.

The offence was allegedly committed at the TKSU meeting room, Level 9, Transport Ministry, Jalan Tun Hussein, Precinct 4, Putrajaya, between 2.30pm and 5.30pm on March 21, 2018.

The charge, under section 23(1) of the Act, carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher. – Bernama, April 4, 2022.