KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur has scheduled 17 trial days starting May 7, 2026, for a company director accused of offering a long-term bribe connected to the takeover of the Kuala Lumpur Tower (KL Tower) concession, a landmark asset within the city’s commercial core.
Presiding judge Suzana Hussin confirmed the trial dates after agreement from Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Elyza Amira Habeeb Rahman and defence counsel Tang Jia Yearn, who represents Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd director Datuk Abdul Hamid Shaikh Abdul Razak Shaikh.
The court fixed trial dates across several months, including May, June, July, August, October, and December 2026, and scheduled March 18 for a case mention, during which the prosecution will submit its witness list. The prosecution will also update the court on the status of an ongoing High Court appeal by the defence.
The appeal challenges the Sessions Court’s earlier decision to hear the cases involving Abdul Hamid Shaikh and Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd jointly.
According to the charge, Abdul Hamid Shaikh, aged 52, allegedly offered a bribe amounting to RM500,000 annually for a 15-year period through an intermediary, Datuk Tan Ser Lay, to induce the then Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, to expedite the transfer of management and operational control of the KL Tower concession to the company.
The alleged offence is said to have taken place at the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia in Putrajaya between July and August 2022, during a period when government-linked concessions and strategic urban assets were under close public scrutiny.
Abdul Hamid Shaikh faces charges under Section 16(b)(B) of the MACC Act 2009, which carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of either five times the alleged bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd is also charged under Section 17A(1)(a) of the MACC Act 2009 as a commercial organisation, for allegedly offering the bribe jointly for the benefit of the minister. If convicted, the company may face a fine of at least 10 times the bribe amount or RM1 million, whichever is higher, as well as possible imprisonment of up to 20 years or both.
Cases involving prominent urban landmarks such as KL Tower highlight the increasing regulatory scrutiny surrounding governance, transparency, and compliance — factors that are closely monitored by investors active in commercial property in KL, office developments in Bukit Jalil, and broader investment segments including industrial land in Selangor, factories in Puchong, and industrial property in the Subang area.
As enforcement and governance standards continue to shape market confidence, such developments remain relevant to stakeholders operating across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor’s real estate and infrastructure landscape.
Indonesia