KUANTAN (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Two more Pahang Land and Mines officers have been charged by Malaysia with allegedly accepting money to protect an illegal bauxite miner.

Civil assistant Mohd Nurfirdaus Rahmad, 28, was charged with accepting RM8,500 (S$2,774) from Anurul Hiraq Abu Bakar as inducement to protect the latter's illegal mining activities by selling him transportation forms.

The forms would have enabled Anurul Hiraq to transport bauxite illegally to Kuantan Port.

The offence was allegedly committed at 6.05pm on Jan 6 in Bukit Sekilau in Kuantane.

Assistant land administrator Abdul Rahim Sulaiman, 53, was charged with abetting Mohd Nurfirdaus in soliciting the money from Anurul Hiraq at about 9.16pm on the same day in Taman Mutiara Mahkota here.

Sessions Court judge Habibah Mohamed Yusof set bail at RM4,000 for each of the accused and fixed Feb 15 for mention.

Both the accused were not represented, while Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission deputy public prosecutor Syafinaz Shahbudin appeared for the prosecution.