THE Kuala Lumpur High Court has dismissed an application by former Federal Territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to set aside an order for him to surrender his passport to the court by increasing the bail amount.

Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, dismissing the application, upheld the sessions court decision to impose a RM500,000 bail on Tengku Adnan, 69, and order that he surrender his passport, pending disposal of the case.

He said the Putrajaya MP, better known as Ku Nan, who was in court and accompanied by his four children, can apply for the temporary return of his passport if he has to travel overseas.

“The bail of RM500,000, and the additional condition to surrender the passport to the court, are upheld,” said Nazlan today, when the case came up for mention for the first time at the court since its transfer from the sessions court.

Tengku Adnan’s lawyer, Tan Hock Chuan, when submitting the application, said his client has to travel often to Australia to visit his daughters, aged 13 and 18, who are studying there, and also to Indonesia for business.

He said Tengku Adnan had suggested that the bail amount be increased to RM1 million, and is prepared to report himself at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office every month if needed.

“My client and his wife often visit their children in Australia. My client is also no longer working with the government, and has to handle his business overseas. He is not a flight risk and has extended cooperation to MACC.”

Tengku Adnan today maintained his not guilty plea to accepting a bribe of RM1 million allegedly for the approval of a company’s application to raise the development-related ratio in Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur, in 2013.

He was charged with receiving the bribe from Tan Eng Boon via a Public Bank cheque belonging to Pekan Nenas Industries Sdn Bhd that was deposited into his CIMB Bank account.

The bribe was allegedly a reward for approving an application by Nucleus Properties Sdn Bhd, now known as Paragon City Development Sdn Bhd, to raise the plot ratio related to development at Lot 228 in Jalan Semarak.

Tengku Adnan was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act with committing the offence at CIMB’s Putra World Trade Centre branch on December 27, 2013.

He faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

He also faces an alternative charge of receiving for himself, in his capacity as Federal Territories minister, RM1 million from Eng Boon via a Public Bank cheque belonging to Pekan Nenas Industries that was deposited into his CIMB account, in the knowledge that Eng Boon, as Nucleus Properties director, was linked to his official duties.

The offence, under Section 165 of the Penal Code, was allegedly committed at the same place, time and date. Tengku Adnan faces a jail term of up to two years, or a fine, or both, if found guilty.

The court set February 28 for mention. – Bernama, January 28, 2019.