Jana Wibawa project: Adam Radlan slapped with another two charges

SHAH ALAM - Businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad, who was charged with two counts of corruption yesterday, was slapped with another two charges of receiving bribes amounting to RM4.1 million in connection with the Jana Wibawa project at the Sessions Court here today.

Adam Radlan, 42, who is Segambut Bersatu deputy division leader, pleaded not guilty to both charges before Judge Rozilah Salleh.

On both charges, he was alleged to have received bribes amounting to RM4.1 million from Lian Tan Chuan and Mat Jusoh Mamat through a CIMB Bank Bhd account belonging to Bayu Bumiraya Sdn Bhd of which he is a director.

The money was given as gratification to Adam for helping Nepturis Sdn Bhd and MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd to obtain two projects, namely the Klang Utara district head office, worth RM141 million, and the construction of Jalan Sungai Adam to Kampung Banat, Perlis, worth RM47.8 million, from the Malaysian government.

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

The charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, and punishable under Section 24( 1) of the same law, which provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

MACC deputy public prosecutor Allan Suman Pillai requested bail at RM500,000 with two sureties on each charge and for Adam Radlan to report to the MACC office once in two months, as well as surrender his passport to the court.

Lawyer Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam, representing Adam Radlan, requested bail be reduced to RM300,000 for both charges as his client's account had been frozen and he was supporting four children and a mother.

Following that, Rozilah set bail at RM300,000 with two sureties for each charge and also ordered Adam Radlam to report himself at the MACC office in Putrajaya once a month.

The judge also told the prosecution to transfer Adam Adlan's passport, which had been surrendered to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, to be kept at the Shah Alam Sessions Court, if the charges at the court in Kuala Lumpur were dropped.

She also set April 14 for mention.

At the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday, Adam Radlan was charged with soliciting 3.5 per cent to seven per cent of the value of the project from Mat Jusoh, who is MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd managing director.

The money was an inducement for him to help the company to obtain the Letter of Acceptance for a project under the Jana Wibawa Programme from the Malaysian government.

He was also charged with receiving a bribe of RM500,000 which was transferred into his CIMB Bank Berhad by Mat Jusoh as gratification for helping MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd obtained the Letter of Acceptance for a project involving road construction from Jalan Sungai Adam to Kampung Banat, in Perlis, which was worth RM47,8000,000, from the Malaysian government through direct negotiation.

Adam Radlan was charged before Judge Suzana Hussin, who then allowed him bail of RM120,000 with two sureties and an additional condition to surrender his passport to the court, as well as report himself to the MACC office once a month.

Prior to this, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was reported to have said that the implementation of the Jana Wibawa project was postponed for a review of whether its procurement procedure was made in compliance with the rules set by the Treasury.

According to Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, the project, valued at RM5.7 billion, was postponed as there were elements of selective tender or direct negotiation in the procurement process. - BERNAMA