Businessman pleads not guilty to two more Jana Wibawa-linked graft charges

SHAH ALAM: Businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad has pleaded not guilty to two charges linked to the Jana Wibawa programme.

The Segambut Bersatu deputy chief claimed trial to the charges after they were read out before Shah Alam Sessions Court judge Rozilah Salleh here on Wednesday (Feb 22).

For the first charge, the 42-year-old is accused of receiving a RM2mil bribe from Nepturis Sdn Bhd via his company’s CIMB bank account.

Adam Radlan allegedly received the bribe from managing director Lian Tan Chuan for helping the latter’s company obtain the RM141mil Klang Utara Police headquarters project from the government.

He was also charged with receiving a RM2.1mil bribe from MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd managing director Mat Jusoh Mamat for helping the company obtain a RM47.8mil road construction project involving a stretch from Jalan Sungai Adam to Kampung Banat in Perlis.

He allegedly committed the offences at CIMB Bank in Jaya One, Petaling Jaya between April 4 last year and Jan 5; and Nov 26, 2021 and Dec 2 last year, respectively.

Both charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.

Adam Radlan faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000 – whichever is higher – if he is convicted.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission deputy public prosecutor Allaman Suman Pillai offered a total of RM1mil bail for both cases.

He also asked the court to impose additional conditions which included requiring Adam Radlan to report to the MACC office once every two months and surrender his passport to the court.

In response, Adam Radlan’s lawyer Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam sought a lower amount of RM300,000 for both charges on grounds that his client had given his cooperation throughout the investigation.

"My client has been giving his full cooperation to the MACC throughout the investigations. He is also a father of four children aged nine to 16,” he said.

Rajan said the accused, who was also charged on Tuesday (Feb 22) with two counts of corruption, had paid bail of RM120,000 at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

Judge Razilah then fixed bail at RM300,000 in two sureties for both charges.

She also ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court and to report to the MACC office once a month.

The case is set for mention on April 12.

On Tuesday (Feb 21), Adam Radlan was accused of soliciting bribes for himself with a value of between 3.5% and 7% of the project to be acquired by a managing director of MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd.

The money was allegedly an inducement for him to help the company obtain an acceptance letter under the Jana Wibawa programme from the government.

He had also claimed trial to a charge of receiving RM500,000 through his CIMB Bank account from an MIE Infrastructure & Energy managing director as an inducement for him to assist the company.

Adam Radlan had originally received the money as an inducement to help obtain an acceptance letter for a project called “Projek Membina Jalan Sg Adam ke Kg Banat, Perlis” from the government through direct negotiations. The project was valued at RM47.8mil.

Jana Ekonomi Pemerkasaan Kontraktor Bumiputra Berwibawa or Economic Recovery of Authorised Bumiputra Contractors (Jana Wibawa) was set up in November 2020 to empower bumiputra contractors struggling during the pandemic.