KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was today charged with corruptly receiving a total of RM3 million from property developers during his time in power, with his case also linked to a project in Kuala Lumpur.
Tengku Adnan was federal territories minister from May 2013 to May 2018 under the then-Barisan Nasional (BN) administration, a position which saw him overseeing the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.
Tengku Adnan, 68, today pleaded not guilty to allegedly corruptly receiving cheques for a total of RM3 million in funds in December 2013 and June 2016 from property developers.
Tengku Adnan’s charges
Under the first charge, Tengku Adnan was charged with receiving a bribe of RM1 million from property developer Datuk Tan Eng Boon in the form of a Public Bank cheque owned by Pekan Nenas Industries Sdn Bhd that was deposited into Tengku Adnan’s bank account in CIMB.
According to the charge, the alleged bribe was intended as a “reward” for Tengku Adnan’s approval of the application of Nucleus Properties Sdn Bhd (now known as Paragon City Development Sdn Bhd) for the increase of the plot ratio for a development on Jalan Semarak in Kuala Lumpur.
The plot ratio for a property project determines its density or how much floor area a developer can build on a plot of land, which is typically key to maximising the use or profit obtainable from a land.
According to the charge, Tengku Adnan was accused of committing the offence on December 27, 2013 at the CIMB Bank branch at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur.
The first charge is under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which is punishable by a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of RM10,000 or not less than five times the bribe’s value, whichever is higher.
Tengku Adnan was also charged with an alternative charge to the first charge, over the same transaction involving the same RM1 million cheque, but with the offence specifically due to his position as a civil servant then.
Under the alternative charge to the first charge, Tengku Adnan was accused of accepting for himself — as a public servant in his capacity as federal territories minister — the same RM1 million cheque from Tan.
According to the alternative charge, Tengku Adnan was alleged to have accepted the RM1 million cheque while knowing that Tan as a director in Nucleus Properties had a connection to his official function.
This alternative charge, said to have occurred at the same place and time, was brought under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by jail of up to two years or fine or both.
Under the second charge, Tengku Adnan was alleged to have on June 14, 2016 accepted for himself — as a public servant in his role as federal territories minister — a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque of RM2 million owned by property developer Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd from Chai Kin Kong, with the cheque deposited through Tadmansori Holding Sdn Bhd’s CIMB account.
According to the second charge, Tengku Adnan was accused of accepting the cheque while knowing that Aset Kayamas had a connection with his official function.
This charge against Tengku Adnan over the alleged corrupt receipt of RM2 million as a public servant was also brought under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by jail of up to two years or fine or both.
Tengku Adnan, who is currently Putrajaya MP and Umno treasurer, today was granted bail of RM1 million after he claimed trial to these charges.
Property developer Tan’s charges
Datuk Tan Eng Boon, the property tycoon implicated in Tengku Adnan’s charges, was also brought to the Kuala Lumpur court complex to be charged separately.
Tan, 70, was charged with corruptly giving the same RM1 million cheque mentioned above as a bribe to Tengku Adnan by depositing it into the latter’s CIMB account at the same CIMB bank branch at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) on December 27, 2013.
The charge alleges that the RM1 million was given as a “reward” for Tengku Adnan’s approval of Nucleus Properties’ plot ratio increase application for the same property project on Jalan Semarak.
Tan is alleged to have committed the offence under Section 16(b)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which is punishable by a maximum jail term of 20 years, and a fine of RM10,000, or not less than five times the sum of the bribe, whichever is higher.
Tan was also charged with the alternative charge of allegedly helping Tengku Adnan to allegedly commit the crime of accepting the RM1 million cheque as a public servant, when the latter knew that Tan as a director in Nucleus Properties had links to his official duties.
For the alternative charge where Tan is alleged to have abetted Tengku Adnan’s Section 165 offence, it is punishable with a jail term of up to two years, or fine or both.
Tan was granted bail today at RM700,000 after pleading not guilty to the charges.
*An earlier version of this story contained some factual errors. This has since been rectified.
