[UPDATED] Court charges Bersatu’s Adam Radlan with taking RM4.1 mil in bribes

KUALA LUMPUR – Segambut Bersatu deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad has again been charged – this time at the Shah Alam sessions court with two counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM4.1 million linked to the Jana Wibawa initiative.

However, the 42-year-old pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out by judge Rozilah Salleh, reported the New Straits Times.

According to the charge sheet, Adam Radlan, as Syarikat Bayu Bumiraya Sdn Bhd director, has been accused of accepting RM2 million in bribes via the company’s CIMB Bank Bhd account from one Lian Tan Chuan.

It is said to be an incentive for the government to award Nepturis Sdn Bhd the North Klang district headquarters project valued at RM141 million.

In another offence, Adam Radlan is accused of receiving a bribe of RM2.1 million via the same account from MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd managing director Mat Jusoh Mamat for his role in obtaining the development project valued at RM47.8 million to build Jalan Sg Adam to Kg Banat in Perlis.

He was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act. If guilty, he faces up to 20 years in jail and a minimum fine of RM10,000 per charge.

Adam Radlan is represented by lawyer Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam, while the deputy public prosecutors are Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s Allan Suman Pillai and Maziah Mohaide.

Yesterday, Adam Radlan claimed trial to two charges of soliciting and bribery at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court.

The businessman had allegedly solicited from Mat Jusoh Mamat between 3.5% and 7% of the project value of a road project worth RM47.8 million.

The Segambut Bersatu deputy chief had also allegedly received RM500,000 as an inducement to help the private firm to secure the aforementioned project.

Separately, Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan claimed trial to two charges of soliciting and receiving bribes worth RM6.9 million to help a private firm to secure a central spine road government contract worth RM232 million.

On the charge of soliciting, he allegedly committed the crime sometime in April 2022 at the Royal Lake Club by seeking an unspecified amount from Lian to help Nepturis Sdn Bhd secure the aforementioned government project.

On the bribery charge, Wan Saiful had allegedly committed the crime between July and September 2022 at CIMB Bukit Tunku for receiving cash in the amount of RM6.9 million.

Jana Wibawa, also known as “Program Jana Ekonomi Pemerkasaan Kontraktor Bumiputera Berwibawa”, aimed to expedite project execution by Bumiputera contractors, as part of moves to boost the country’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The scheme involved pre-qualification tenders or direct awards in accordance with Finance Ministry guidelines on direct award processes.

It was reported that the implementation of the RM5.7 billion Jana Wibawa project was postponed for a review of whether its procurement procedure was made in compliance with the rules set by the Treasury.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also rural and regional development minister, said it was postponed as there were elements of selective tender or direct negotiation in the procurement process. – The Vibes, February 22, 2023