KUALA LUMPUR – The Sessions Court has fixed trial dates between March and August next year for former human resources minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, who is facing three corruption charges involving RM1.097 million related to the approval of foreign worker quotas.
Sessions Court Judge Azrul Darus set the trial for March 4, April 12, May 24 to 27, August 17 to 19, and August 23 to 25, after both the prosecution and defence agreed to the schedule. The defence had sought the earliest possible hearing dates, Bernama reported.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Julaila Jamaludin told the court that the prosecution had provided 31 pages of documents to the defence earlier today, a matter confirmed by defence counsel Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent.
“The prosecution has submitted all relevant documents pursuant to Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), paving the way for the defence to file its defence statement in accordance with Section 62 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009,” she said.
Julaila added that the prosecution intends to call 25 witnesses during the trial.
The court subsequently directed the defence to file its statement of defence by January 15, 2027.
Saravanan pleaded not guilty on August 28 to three corruption charges involving RM1.097 million allegedly linked to the approval of foreign worker quotas.
Under the first and second charges, he is accused of receiving RM150,000 and RM350,000 in cash, respectively, from Vectica Resources Sdn Bhd director Tan Teck Lim, 65, through Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad, 38. The alleged transactions took place at Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resort and Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar, on June 16 and July 7, 2022.
The payments were allegedly given as inducements and rewards for Saravanan, who was serving as Human Resources Minister at the time, to approve TYKB Engineering Sdn Bhd’s application for 1,000 foreign worker quotas.
The third charge alleges that he received RM597,000 from the same individual for the same purpose through a cheque deposited into the account of Big Seven Ventures Sdn Bhd at Maybank Islamic Berhad’s Old Klang Road branch in Taman Desa on July 7, 2022.
All three charges were brought under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009. If convicted, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the value of the alleged gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher. – November 3, 2026