KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan today claimed trial to two bribery charges at the Sessions Court here, in connection with the government’s Jana Wibawa scheme back in 2022.
In the first charge, the 47-year-old Tasik Gelugor MP from Bersatu was accused of soliciting an unspecified amount from one Lian Tan Chuan as incentive to help Nepturis Sdn Bhd obtain a government contact for the Central Spine Road project worth RM232 million.
This offence was allegedly committed at the Royal Lake Club here in April two years ago.
In the second charge, Wan Saiful — who is also Bersatu information chief — was accused of receiving RM6,962,694.54 from Nepturis in relation to the same government road project.
He was alleged to have received the money through the CIMB Bank account of his company WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd from Nepturis’ Maybank Islamic Berhad bank account between July 8 and September 30, 2022.
Both charges were made under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
The first-term MP faces a maximum jail sentence of 20 years, a fine of RM10,000 or not less than five times the value of the bribe solicited under Section 24(1) of the MACC Act if found guilty.
Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi set bail at RM400,000 and told Wan Saiful that he has to surrender his passport to the court before March 22.
In a separate courtroom, Segambut Bersatu division deputy chief Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad also claimed trial to two charges under Section 16(a) of the MACC Act before Sessions Court Judge Suzana Hussin.
In the first charge, the 42-year-old who is also a businessman was accused of soliciting between 3.5 per cent and 7 per cent of a project value from one Mat Jusoh Mamat, said to be the director or MIE Infrastructure & Energy Sdn Bhd, for the government’s Jana Wibawa programme.
He allegedly committed the offence in March 2021 at a restaurant in Dutamas here.
In the second charge, Adam Radlan was accused of receiving RM500,000 into his CIMB Bank account at the Bukit Tunku branch on November 26, 2021 from Mat Jusoh for obtaining a government approval letter for MIE Infrastructure & Energy to build a road in Perlis in a project valued at RM47.8 million.
Justice Suzana set Adam Radlan’s bail at RM120,000 with two sureties. He was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court before March 23.
Former prime minister and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Bersatu’s secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin along with PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan turned up in court today in a show of support for Wan Saiful.
Outside the courtroom, Muhyiddin said the charges against Wan Saiful were biased and claimed “selective prosecution”.
“We actually expected that this would be done by the PH-BN government to weaken Bersatu after seeing growing support for Perikatan Nasional,” Muhyiddin told reporters, referring to the two main coalitions that form the government, Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional.
Muhyddin claimed that the money Wan Saiful and Adam Radlan were accused of receiving as bribes were actually funds for party purposes and Bersatu’s constitution allows political contributions from individuals or businesses that support them.
He also claimed that the received funds are legal because Malaysia does not have any specific law to regulate the finances of political parties at the moment.
“I stressed that the contribution we have received does not breach any law and it’s considered selective prosecution towards some of our leaders.
“I believe that a proper and fair defence will be upheld by the court,” said Muhyiddin.
Outside the courtroom, Wan Saiful told reporters he was grateful to have lawyers Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Takiyuddin Hassan who is also PAS MP for Kota Baru on his defence team.
He said the charges against him were “unnecessary” and claimed it was the current administration’s attempt to divert attention from more pressing issues affecting the public.
“I’m annoyed because looking at the current situation, the focus should be given to solving issues such as the rising costs of living and people’s requests to have early withdrawal of their EPF.
“However what happened was they started prosecuting people to divert people’s attention from their failure to come out with new ideas to solve our problems,” he told reporters.
He said he is confident of getting a fair trial as the Malaysian judiciary is fair and free from external influences.
“This is the court system that we have built during Perikatan Nasional’s term as government and we made sure that there is judiciary freedom.
“And this will prove that I’m innocent,” he said.
Malay Mail understands Wan Saiful paid his bail and left the court around 2.26pm.
Adam Radlan’s lead counsel Datuk Seri Rajan Navaratnam told Malay Mail that his client paid his bail around 2.57pm.
The Jana Wibawa, or “Program Jana Ekonomi Pemerkasaan Kontraktor Bumiputera Berwibawa”, was introduced by the Muhyiddin administration, and aimed at improving the capacity of Bumiputera contractors in the construction sector to be more resilient and competitive and speed up their projects to spur the nation’s economic recovery post Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Deputy Prime Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced on February 15 that the government now led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister will postpone the RM5.7 billion worth of rural development projects under the Jana Wibawa scheme.
Zahid said the postponement was to review whether they were awarded in accordance with procurement process and governance requirements set by the Treasury.
