Wan Yahya J

The 1st accused, former State Assemblyman and Executive Council member and, for a brief period, the acting Chief Minister of Melaka, was charged for corrupt practice under section 2(1) of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance, No. 22 of 1970 and, pursuant to a certificate issued by the Attorney-General under section 416A of the Criminal Procedure Code, was jointly tried with the 2nd accused, who was charged with abetting him.

In order to facilitate a speedier understanding of the prosecution case, which, for reasons such as court's convenience, prosecution's tactics, witnesses' convenience, not mentioning their late arrivals, could not be presented in a more convenient sequence, I shall first, without going into their merits, set down briefly the prosecution case in a more orderly sequence.

At the time relevant to the charge the 1st accused was a member of the State Legislative Assembly and also a member of the State Executive Council. The 2nd accused was an employee of an advertising agency in Singapore. He was then a Singapore citizen and resided with his wife and children in the Republic. He also owns a business known as General Enterprise in Melaka of which bus