Businessman Adam Radlan claims trial to accepting RM4.1m in bribes under Jana Wibawa programme

Tuesday 30 Apr 2024

SHAH ALAM (Feb 22): Businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad has claimed trial for the second time in as many days for accepting RM4.1 million in bribes in connection with the Jana Wibawa programme, which was established to help Bumiputera contractors.

Adam pleaded not guilty to the two charges, which were read out to him before judge Rozilah Salleh in the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (Feb 22).

For the first charge, Adam allegedly received RM2 million in bribes from a Lian Tan Chuan for helping Lian’s company Nepturis Sdn Bhd obtain a contract in the Northern Klang district for its head office from the government worth RM141 million.

Adam allegedly received this money through his company Bayu Bumiraya Sdn Bhd, where he is a director.

The second charge stated that Adam allegedly received RM2.1 million from a Mat Jusoh Mamat, who is the managing director of MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd, for a separate road works project from Jalan Sg Adam to Kg Banat, Perlis, which cost RM47.8 million.

Both charges are framed under Section 16(a)(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, and punishable under Section 24 of the same Act, which carries up to 20 years' jail and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Adam was charged with committing the offences at the Jaya One branch of CIMB Bank Bhd in Petaling Jaya between Nov 26, 2021 and Jan 5, 2023.

Adam, who is also Bersatu's deputy division chief for Segambut, was represented by Datuk Rajan Navaratnam, while the deputy public prosecutors are Allan Suman Pillai and Maziah Mohaide from the MACC.

The latest development brings the total number of charges against Adam to four.

In the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, Adam claimed trial to two charges of soliciting and bribery also linked to Mat Jusoh.

Adam allegedly solicited a bribe amount of 3.5% to 7% of the total amount of a road works project worth RM47.8 million from Mat Jusoh.

The bribe was allegedly for Adam to get an approval letter from the government to help MIE secure the project.

For the second charge, Adam allegedly received RM500,000 in his CIMB Bank account from Jusoh Mamat as an inducement for helping MIE secure the road works project from Jalan Sg Adam to Kg Banat, Perlis.

At the same time on Tuesday, Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan claimed trial to two charges of soliciting and receiving bribes worth RM6.9 million to help Nepturis to secure a Central Spine Road government contract worth RM232 million.

Wan Saiful, who is also the Tasek Gelugor Member of Parliament, was charged with soliciting an unspecified amount from Nepturis via Lian to facilitate its pre-approval as a contractor by the government in April 2022 for the Central Spine Road project worth RM232 million.

The second charge against Wan Saiful was for receiving a bribe amounting to RM6.962 million from Nepturis, through his company’s CIMB Bank account under WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd.

Wan Saiful, who is also a former chairman of National Higher Education Fund Corp (PTPTN), was accused of committing the offences between July 8 and Sept 30 in 2022.

Jana Wibawa, or Program Jana Ekonomi Pemerkasaan Kontraktor Bumiputera Berwibawa, was mooted during the Perikatan Nasional administration, where Bersatu was a component party.

The government at the time said the programme was set up to improve the capacity of Bumiputera contractors in the construction industry, as well as to expedite project execution to spur the nation’s economic recovery post Covid-19.

Last week, Muhyiddin was summoned by the MACC to record his statement on the programme. It was reported that Muhyiddin was among individuals being investigated by the agency over the matter, but he has claimed that he was called in to give his statement and was not a suspect.

International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who served as the finance minister under Muhyiddin, on Tuesday also confirmed that he had been summoned by the MACC over the matter.

On Feb 15, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that RM5.7 billion worth of rural development projects under the Jana Wibawa scheme had been postponed.

This, said the Umno president, was to review whether contracts were awarded in accordance with procurement processes and governance requirements set by the Treasury.

Edited BySurin Murugiah

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