KUALA LUMPUR: A businessman has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to two counts of graft linked to the Jana Wibawa programme.
Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad claimed trial to the charges after they were read out before Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin here on Tuesday (Feb 21) in a courtroom next door to where Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan is facing his charges.
The 42-year-old Adam Radlan was accused of soliciting bribes for himself, which was cash of between 3.5% and 7% from the value of a project that would be acquired by a managing director of MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd.
The money was an inducement for him to assist the company to obtain an acceptance letter under the Jana Wibawa programme from the Government.
The Jana Wibawa programme was organised during the Covid-19 pandemic to assist bumiputra contractors.
MACC is currently investigating allegations that the chosen contractors then allegedly deposited RM300mil into the Bersatu party account.
Adam allegedly committed the offence at a restaurant in Dutamas here in March 2021.
For the second charge, Adam Radlan was accused of receiving RM500,000 through his CIMB Bank account from the MIE Infrastructure & Energy managing director as an inducement for him to assist the company in receiving an acceptance letter for a project called "Projek Membina Jalan Sg. Adam ke Kg. Banat, Perlis" from the Government through direct negotiations, whereby the total amount of the project was RM47.8mil.
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.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh offered bail at RM300,000 for both charges.
She also asked the court to impose additional conditions on the accused.
Lawyer Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam, who represented Adam Radlan, sought a lower amount of RM100,000 on grounds that his client had given his cooperation throughout the investigation by the MACC.
"My client is a businessman with four children aged between nine and 16.
"He was contacted by the MACC last night and he came to the MACC office for his statement to be taken. That was when he was informed that he would be charged today," said Rajan.
The court fixed bail at RM120,000 in two sureties.
Suzana also ordered for the accused to surrender his passport to the court and for him to report himself to the MACC office once a month.
The case is set for mention on March 23.
