Kuala Lumpur: Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan has claimed trial to accepting a bribe of close to RM7 million in relation to the Jana Wibawa initiative.
The Tasek Gelugor MP pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him at the sessions court here before judge Azura Alwi.
He was also charged with soliciting an unspecified amount for a road project worth RM232 million linked to the Jana Wibawa programme.
Wan Saiful is alleged to have accepted RM6.9 million through a CIMB bank account belonging to his company, WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd, from a Maybank account of Nepturis Sdn Bhd.
He is also alleged to have solicited an unspecified amount from Lian Tan Chuan at Royal Lake Club here in April last year to help the company secure the RM232 million Central Spine Road project from the federal government.
The bribery offence is said to have been committed between July and September last year for the company to obtain a letter of acceptance for the project.
Azura allowed bail of RM400,000 and ordered Wan Saiful’s passport to be impounded.
She also ordered Wan Saiful to report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) once every two months pending the outcome of the trial.
The case will be mentioned on March 22
Lawyers Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Rozal Azimin Ahmad represented Wan Saiful, while deputy public prosecutor Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin prosecuted.
Wan Saiful and businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad were arrested last night after they were called in by MACC.
Adam Radlan will be charged in a separate court.
Wan Saiful faces up to 20 years’ jail and a minimum fine of RM10,000, if convicted.
The Jana Wibawa programme was a Covid-19 stimulus initiative to help Bumiputera contractors.
It has been mired in controversy after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the costs were too high for some projects. He said the projects had been approved without going through a tender process.
The stimulus package was carried out when Muhyiddin Yassin was the prime minister. He said on Friday he had been questioned by MACC as a witness, and denied that there was any misappropriation of funds.
Muhyiddin, the Bersatu president, was in the courtroom this morning to provide moral support to Wan Saiful, along with party leaders Hamzah Zainudin, Ronald Kiandee, Radzi Jidin and Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal.
