KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 18): Two more Pahang Land and Mines Department officers were charged today with allegedly accepting bribes to protect an illegal bauxite miner, The Star Online reported.

The news portal said civil assistant Mohd Nurfirdaus Rahmad, 28, was charged with accepting RM8,500 from Anurul Hiraq Abu Bakar as inducement to protect the latter’s illegal mining by selling him transport forms.

The report said assistant land administrator Abdul Rahim Sulaiman, 53, was charged with abetting Nurfirdaus with soliciting money from Anurul at 9.16pm on the same day in Taman Mutiara Mahkota, Kuantan.

Both were not represented and Sessions Court judge Habibah Mohamed Yusof set bail at RM4,000 for each of the accused and fixed Feb 15 for mention.

On Jan 13, two officers from the department, assistant land officer Fadly Ab Malek, 35, and an administrative and diplomatic officer (PTD) Syed Umar Khalil Syed Khalid, 34, were charged with accepting RM30,000 in gratification from an unlicensed bauxite miner.

Both pleaded not guilty and were allowed bail of RM10,000 each, pending mention of the case on Feb 5.

So far, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has detained and recorded statements from 10 Pahang land officers and four civilians to facilitate investigations into alleged corruption in bauxite mining.