KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 14): The Sessions Court has set May 27, 2024 for the trial of three corruption charges of businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad, which are related to the Jana Wibawa programme. 

Judge Suzana Hussin set 15 dates from May 27 for the prosecution’s trial to commence at a case management here. 

Deputy public prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh acted for the prosecution, while Adam Radlan’s lawyer was Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Suzana set May 27 to 29, June 10 to 12, July 9 to 11, July 22 to 24 and Aug 5 to 7 as the trial dates. 

Adam has two other cases before another sessions court judge Azura Alwi. Farah then informed Suzana that the prosecution will be filing a written application to Azura’s chambers, seeking that the two cases be transferred to Suzana’s court, so that all of his cases can be heard in one court. 

Farah informed the judge that they will file the letter within two weeks. 

Additionally, she also said that the prosecution will call 20 witnesses in the trial. 

On Feb 21, Adam was charged with two graft charges in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

In the first charge, he allegedly solicited a bribe amount of 3.5% to 7% of the total amount of a roadwork project worth RM47.8 million from Mat Jusoh Mamat, who is the managing director of MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd.

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

On Feb 22, Adam was once again pressed with two graft charges, this time in the Shah Alam Sessions Court.

In the first charge, he allegedly received RM2 million in bribes from a person by the name of Lian Tan Chuan, for helping Lian’s company Nepturis Sdn Bhd to obtain a contract in the Northern Klang district for its head office from the government, worth RM141 million.

The second charge states that Adam allegedly received RM2.1 million from Mat Jusoh for a separate roadwork project from Jalan Sg Adam to Kg Banat, Perlis, which cost RM47.8 million.

Then on Feb 28, Adam was charged with soliciting and asking for a bribe from Lian to allegedly help Nepturis secure a contract for the Klang Utara district police headquarters project, worth RM141 million.

All 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.

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

The then government of the day 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.

Investigations into the Jana Wibawa programme have led to the charging of some Bersatu leaders in recent weeks, including former prime minister and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Tasek Gelugor Member of Parliament Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

On Aug 15, the High Court struck out all of the four corruption charges totalling RM232.5 million against Muhyiddin. 

Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin said the charges brought by the prosecutor did not clearly disclose any offence.

“The charges are defective, and I am using my power to strike out the charges, as there was an abuse of process,” he said.