ATTORNEY GENERAL’S CHAMBERS
PRESS RELEASE
SATURDAY, 22ND MARCH 2025
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR V HAJAH NURUL HUDA @ HAJAH RUSIATI BINTI ABDULLAH
MCCT/BSB/54/2025
The
Magistrate’s Court of Brunei Darussalam has sentenced Hajah Nurul Huda @ Hajah
Rusiati binti Abdullah, a 34-year-old former Immigration Officer, to two years’ imprisonment
after she pleaded guilty to four charges of corruption under Section 6(a) of the Prevention of
Corruption Act, Chapter 131.
The offences involved accepting monetary rewards from an Indonesian national between
October 2023 and July 2024, in exchange for facilitating the unlawful departure of foreign
nationals from Brunei Darussalam without the required re-entry permits, in violation of the
Immigration Act, Chapter 17.
Investigations revealed that the defendant had knowingly accepted payments—both in cash
and via bank transfer—amounting to a total of BND 500. These payments were made in
return for her assistance in allowing foreign individuals to leave Brunei unlawfully.
The offences came to light after Malaysian Immigration authorities at Miri ICQ detected
discrepancies in a foreign national’s travel records and discovered another concealed
individual in a vehicle. This prompted a cross-border investigation, which was subsequently
referred to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
In mitigation, defence counsel for the defendant urged the Court to consider the defendant’s
personal circumstances, including her early guilty plea, cooperation during investigation,
and the relatively small sum involved, in seeking a more lenient sentence.
The Prosecution, however, argued that corruption - regardless of the amount - erodes public
trust and leads to disintegration of public administration, particularly when committed by
enforcement officers in positions of responsibility.
During sentencing, the Court highlighted the defendant’s serious breach of public trust as an
enforcement officer responsible for safeguarding Brunei’s immigration borders.
“Corruption, however small the amount, is contagious and cannot be taken lightly,”
remarked Senior Magistrate Hajah Azrimah binti Haji Abdul Rahman. “Even the slightest act
of corruption sets a dangerous precedent. It damages the integrity of the country and erodes
public trust.”
The court further held that a custodial sentence was necessary to reflect the seriousness of
the offence, to send a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated to safeguard
public trust and to preserve the stability of the country.
The Court ordered that the sentences for two of the four charges run consecutively, with the
remaining charges to run concurrently, resulting in a total sentence of two years’
imprisonment, effective from the date of conviction on 8 February 2025.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Fitri Kiprawi, while the
defendant was represented by Pg Khairul Nizam bin Pg Hj Mohd Yassin of Messrs Yusof
Halim and Partners.
-END-
Terjemahan
PEJABAT PEGUAM NEGARA
SIARAN AKHBAR
SABTU, 22HB MAC 2025
PENDAKWA RAYA LAWAN HAJAH NURUL HUDA @ HAJAH RUSIATI BINTI ABDULLAH
MCCT/BSB/54/2025
Mahkamah Majistret Negara Brunei Darussalam telah menjatuhkan hukuman penjara
selama dua tahun ke atas Hajah Nurul Huda @ Hajah Rusiati binti Abdullah, seorang bekas
Pegawai Imigresen berusia 34 tahun, setelah beliau mengaku bersalah terhadap empat
pertuduhan rasuah di bawah Bab 6(a) Akta Pencegahan Rasuah, Penggal 131.
Kesalahan tersebut melibatkan penerimaan ganjaran wang daripada seorang warganegara
Indonesia antara Oktober 2023 dan Julai 2024, sebagai pertukaran untuk memudahkan
pemergian warga asing dari Negara Brunei Darussalam dengan menyalahi undang-undang
tanpa permit masuk semula yang diperlukan, yang melanggar Akta Imigresen, Penggal 17.
Siasatan mendapati bahawa defendan dengan sengaja menerima pembayaran – secara tunai
dan melalui pindahan bank – berjumlah BND 500. Pembayaran ini dilakukan sebagai balasan
atas bantuannya dalam membenarkan individu asing itu meninggalkan Brunei secara haram.
Kesalahan itu terbongkar selepas pihak berkuasa Imigresen Malaysia di ICQ Miri mengesan
perselisihan dalam rekod perjalanan seorang warga asing dan menemui seorang individu
yang disembunyikan dalam sebuah kenderaan. Ini mendorong penyiasatan rentas sempadan
yang kemudiannya dirujuk kepada Biro Mencegah Rasuah (BMR).
Dalam mitigasi, peguambela bagi defendan menggesa mahkamah untuk mempertimbangkan
keadaan peribadi defendan, termasuk pengakuan bersalah awalnya, kerjasama semasa
siasatan, dan jumlah wang yang terlibat yang dianggap kecil, dalam usaha untuk
mendapatkan hukuman yang lebih ringan.
Pihak Pendakwaan, bagaimanapun, menghujahkan bahawa rasuah – tanpa mengira
jumlahnya –akan merosakkan kepercayaan orang ramai dan membawa kepada perpecahan
dalam pentadbiran awam, terutamanya apabila dilakukan oleh pegawai penguatkuasa yang
memegang tanggungjawab itu.
Semasa menjatuhkan hukuman, Mahkamah menekankan keseriusan pelanggaran terhadap
kepercayaan orang ramai oleh Defendan sebagai seorang pegawai penguatkuasa yang
bertanggungjawab menjaga sempadan Imigresen Negara Brunei Darussalam. “Rasuah,
walaupun sekecil mana jumlahnya, bersifat menular dan tidak boleh diambil ringan,” ujar
Majistret Kanan Hajah Azrimah binti Haji Abdul Rahman. “Tidak kira betapa kecilnya
perbuatan rasuah, ia boleh menimbulkan kebiasaan yang berbahaya. Ia boleh merosakkan
integriti negara dan menghakis kepercayaan awam.”
Mahkamah seterusnya memutuskan bahawa hukuman penjara adalah perlu bagi
mencerminkan keseriusan kesalahan itu, serta untuk menyampaikan mesej yang jelas
bahawa perbuatan sedemikian tidak boleh diterima demi menjaga kepercayaan orang ramai
dan mengekalkan kestabilan negara.
Mahkamah memerintahkan agar hukuman bagi dua daripada empat pertuduhan dijalankan
secara berturut-turut, manakala hukuman bagi pertuduhan yang selebihnya dijalankan
serentak, yang membawa kepada jumlah hukuman penjara selama dua tahun, berkuat kuasa
mulai tarikh sabitan pada 8 Februari 2025.
Pendakwaan dijalankan oleh Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Nurul Fitri Kiprawi, manakala
defendan diwakili oleh Pg Khairul Nizam bin Pg Hj Mohd Yassin dari Tetuan Yusof Halim and
Partners.
-TAMAT-
