Former Kedah State Forestry Director, Kasim Osman at KL Court today.

Kasim Osman, 56, claimed trial to the charge of accepting the money from Yee Gan Seng in connection with an application by Syarikat AK Millenium Enterprise to withdraw a logging tender at Kompartment 71-A, Rimba Teloi Forest Reserve, which was participated by the company.

The offence is alleged to have committed at a room at the Grand Seasons Hotel in Jalan Pahang between 12 noon to 12.45pm on July 16, 2009.

The charge is under section 17 (a) of Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) which is punishable under section 24 of the same act, which carries a maximum of 20 years' jail sentence or a fine of five times of the value of bribery or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

DPP Fadzillah Mohd Ossman suggested bail be set at RM20,000, however, Kasim's lawyer, Mohd Firuz Jaffril objected.

He said Kasim was charged on March 2 in Alor Setar on a similar charge and that the bail was set at RM5,000. He said the trial is fixed on May 10 and 11, this year.

"Due to the fact that the transaction co-relates to the file (charge) in Alor Setar .. .the case should be transferred to Alor Setar," said Firuz, adding that the witnesses are all the same. He added that in his view, bail was unnecessary.

Later, Fadzillah applied for the case to be transferred to Alor Setar.

Komathy then ruled that the application to transfer the case be made before the (presiding) judge in Alor Setar. She also said the quantum of bail would be decided by that judge. -- theSun