Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, former Human Resources Minister of Malaysia, faced three charges for allegedly accepting over RM1 million in bribes to approve 1,000 foreign worker quotas for TYKB Engineering Sdn Bhd in 2022. The charges were heard on August 28, 2026, at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur before judge Azura Alwi, where Saravanan pleaded not guilty to all counts [1, 2, 3, 4].

Saravanan, aged 58 and also Deputy President of the Malaysian Indian Congress and MP for Tapah, is accused of receiving RM150,000 and RM350,000 cash, and RM597,000 by cheque from businessman Tan Teck Lim through intermediary Syed Amirul Syed Ahmad. These payments were alleged inducements and rewards for quota approvals between June and July 2022, while Saravanan was in office from March 2020 to November 2022 [1, 2, 3].

Security was tightened at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex during the hearing with police presence and restricted access [5, 6, 7]. Saravanan denied involvement in the foreign worker recruitment approval process and stated in a letter dated August 24, 2024, to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that applications were processed automatically via the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System without his knowledge of specific cases [8, 6, 9, 7]. He also claimed that key witnesses had been pressured by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to implicate him, noting one main witness, Syed Amirul, died in July 2026, and another suffers chronic illness [8, 10].

Saravanan told the court, "I stress that I have never contacted or known the individual either via phone or short messaging service. Even though the main witness has died, I am still prepared to defend myself and face this charge according to the law" [10].

He was granted bail of RM450,000 and must surrender his passport and avoid contacting prosecution witnesses [3].

Investigations revealed that on June 16, 2022, Saravanan allegedly received RM150,000 cash at Bukit Jalil Golf & Country Resorts as an inducement, followed by RM350,000 cash and a RM597,000 cheque deposited to Big Seven Ventures account on July 7, 2022, as rewards for approving the quotas [1, 2, 3].

The court proceedings on August 28 represent the latest development in Saravanan’s case following confirmation the day before that he would be charged [11, 10]. Further hearings will determine the outcome.