After Najib, trial starts for Umno’s Tengku Adnan over RM2m bribe

KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — Putrajaya MP Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor is finally being tried after being accused of receiving a RM2 million bribe from property developer Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong — making him the second Umno leader to be charged since Pakatan Harapan took over government to go on trial.

The Umno treasurer popularly called Ku Nan, wearing a blue chequered shirt, was seen in the dock. His family and supporters were also present in court, occupying about two rows in the public gallery.

The trial began with the prosecution producing its first witness Muhamad Akmaludin Abdullah, assistant registrar at Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM), before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

Muhamad Akmaludin was also the first witness in the ongoing trial of former Umno president and former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over RM42 million of former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) unit, SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Tengku Adnan was charged with taking an RM2 million Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque from Chai said to belong to developer Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd which had been deposited into the CIMB Bank account of Tadmansori Holding Sdn Bhd in which he had an interest while he served as the Federal Territories minister.

The offence was allegedly committed by Tengku Adnan at CIMB’s Pusat Bandar Damansara Branch on June 14, 2016.

The penalty for the offence under Section 165 of the Penal Code is a maximum two-year jail term or fine or both.

Tengku Adnan’s five-man defence team is led by Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, while deputy public prosecutor Julia Ibrahim is leading the prosecution’s six-man team.

A total of four witnesses are expected to be called on Tengku Adnan’s first day of trial today.

The second witness is CIMB Taman Setiawangsa assistant manager Khairolrony Kamarudin.

Trial will resume 2pm with the third witness expected to take the stand.