Ex-Labuan MP pleads guilty to cheating

A former Labuan member of parliament pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court here today, to an amended charge of cheating a bank.

Suhaili Abd Rahman, who is ex-Labuan Umno chief, admitted to using someone else's identity to act as a guarantor for a RM160,000 loan and overdraft in 1996.

Judge Duncan Sikodol will pass sentence tomorrow after hearing the mitigation.

Deputy public prosecutor Fariza Hamzah told the court that the amended charge under Section 109 (1) (m) (ii) of the Bankruptcy Act 1967 carried imprisonment of up to two years or a fine or both.

Suhaili, 48, who was also former Labuan Corporation chairperson, was originally charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between one and 10 years, and whipping and a fine.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge on April 13, last year and the one-week trial was scheduled to start today.

However, the prosecutor applied for an amended charge which carries a lighter sentence.

Declared a bankrupt

Suhaili, who was represented by Rakbir Singh, was charged with cheating Malayan Banking Berhad Kota Kinabalu manager Ismail Jantan by not informing him that he was a bankrupt when he applied for the RM110,000 loan for his company, Saraequity Sdn Bhd, and a RM50,000 overdraft to buy an apartment unit at Api-Api Centre here.

Fariza said Suhaili was declared a bankrupt through a court order on April 3, 1993 but was discharged from bankruptcy on May 9, 1997, more than a year after the credit facilities were approved.

On another charge, Sikodol acquitted and discharged Suhaili of making a false statement in a statutory declaration after Fariza said the prosecution had no evidence to present to the court.

The former MP had pleaded not guilty with making a false statement before Justice of the Peace Mohd Naser Mohd Noor at the JP's office here for the purpose of registering Saraequity Sdn Bhd on Aug 3, 1995.

Suhaili has been accused of a litany of alleged wrongdoings when he was Labuan MP and Umno chief, including a case of abuse of power involving the closing down of a popular seafood restaurant on the island.

Malaysiakini has reported in 2007 that he held two identity cards, which he denied.

courtesy of Malaysiakini