Former HR Minister M. Saravanan Pleads Not Guilty to RM1.097 Million Corruption Charges Over Foreign Worker Quotas

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Former Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan was charged in the Sessions Court today with three counts of corruption involving RM1.097 million in connection with the approval of foreign worker quotas.

Saravanan, 58, who also serves as MIC deputy president, pleaded not guilty to all three charges after they were read out separately before Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi.

According to the first and second charges, Saravanan allegedly received cash payments of RM150,000 and RM350,000 from Vectica Resources Sdn Bhd director Tan Teck Lim, 65, through intermediary Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad, 38. The alleged transactions took place at the Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resort and Jalan Telawi 3 in Bangsar on June 16 and July 7, 2022, respectively. The payments were allegedly received as an inducement and reward for Saravanan, in his capacity as Human Resources Minister, to approve an application by TYKB Engineering Sdn Bhd for a quota of 1,000 foreign workers.

For the third charge, the Tapah Member of Parliament is accused of corruptly receiving RM597,000 from the same individual through a bank cheque deposited into the Maybank Islamic Berhad account of Big Seven Ventures Sdn Bhd in Taman Desa, Old Klang Road, on July 7, 2022, for the same purpose.

All three charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and are punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act. Upon conviction, the offense carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

-NMT