by M. Husairy Othman and Brenda Lim

IPOH, MALAYSIA - From the state secretariat building right down to a bar in Penang. These are among the places where two state executive councillors and three others allegedly received bribes pertaining to a housing project in Seri Iskandar.

The executive councillors are Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, 52, and Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu, 57.

The three others are Parti Keadilan Rakyat Parit division chief Usaili Alias, 56, Perak Tengah district councillor Zul Hassan, 45, and State Economic Development Corporation technician Ruslan Sahat, 46.

The latter two allegedly solicited sexual gratification for the same project.

When the 16 charges of graft were read out at two Sessions courts here yesterday, the packed courtrooms also heard how the five accused allegedly accepted bribes of between RM400 and RM100,000 in a two-week period, between Aug 6 and 19.

The sexual favours were allegedly obtained from a woman arranged by Mohamad Imran Abdullah as incentive to obtain a project to develop a 36ha parcel of land in the Seri Iskandar town centre, some 40km from here.

The project was a joint venture with the Perak Tengah district council.

In the dock were:

- Executive councillor for agriculture Jamaluddin, who is also Behrang assemblyman, 52;

- Executive councillor for tou-rism Mohd Osman, who is also Changkat jering assemblyman, 57;

- PKR Parit division chief Usaili, 56;

- Perak Tengah district councillor, Zul,45; and

- State Economic Development Corporation technician Ruslan, 46.

All five claimed trial and were released on bail of between RM3,000 and RM15,000. Their cases will be mentioned on Sept 15.

Jamaluddin and Mohd Osman were in high spirits and even had breakfast together at the court cafetaria before posing for the media.

The high profile case drew a crowd comprising several exco members and Pakatan Rakyat supporters.

When the case was called, lawyers representing Mohd Osman challenged one of the charges as the alleged offence occurred in Penang.

The lawyers protested that the Sessions Court here did not have the power to hear the case.

ACA senior federal counsel Abdul Razak Musa, however, submitted that offences allegedly committed in Penang could be heard by the Sessions Court here as the cases were related and had consequences in Perak.

The five were represented by a team of 13 lawyers led by Gurbachan Singh.