SHAH ALAM, March 15 (Bernama) -- A health assistant pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to two counts of corruption involving RM1,100 two years ago.

Salmizal Salleh, 30, asked to be tried when the charges were read to him before Judge Mat Ghani Abdullah.

The accused, from the Petaling district health office, is charged with corruptly soliciting a bribe of RM600 from A. Sinnappan, the owner of Sonoflex Sdn Bhd, as an inducement not to issue summons against the premises after its six ponds were found to contain mosquito larvae.

He was charged with committing the offence at Lot 21, Jalan Tandang, Seksyen 51, Petaling Jaya, at 3pm on March 20, 2008.

He was also charged with accepting a bribe of RM500 from Sinnappan for the same purpose at about 6.25pm at the same place and time.

If convicted, the accused, who was arrested a day after the alleged offence, can be jail up to 20 years and fined five times of the amount of bribes or RM10,000 whichever is higher under Section 16 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1997.

Mat Ghani allowed Salmizal a bail of RM4,000 with one surety and fixed April 19 for the mention.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Siew Wee of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission prosecutes.