Datuk Tan Eng Boon leaves after paying his bail at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex November 15, 2018. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 — Real estate developer Datuk Tan Eng Boon was today charged with bribing former Federal Territories minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor with RM1 million.

Tan claimed trial to the charge under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 which was read out to him in Mandarin by the court interpreter.

An alternative charge for the same offence was offered under Section 165 of the Penal Code.

Judge Azura Alwi set bail at RM700,000 to be paid by noon tomorrow with two sureties.

Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram led the prosecution, while Faisal Moideen led the defence team.

Tan, 70, was charged with committing the offence at CIMB Bank’s Pusat Dagangan Dunia branch on Jalan Tun Ismail, where he allegedly handed over the RM1 million cheque to Tengku Adnan.

The court heard that the cheque was issued by Tan under Pekan Nenas Industries Sdn Bhd for increasing the density of a plot of land in Jalan Semarak for development by Nucleus Properties Sdn Bhd (now known as Paragon City Development Sdn Bhd), which had an official deal with Tengku Adnan’s ministry.

Judge Azura ordered Tan to report to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office every month and inform the court seven days prior to leaving the country for anywhere other than Singapore since he travels there often for business and medical reasons.

Tan paid the bail and his two bailors are his son and nephew.

Tan, who has been referred to in past news reports as a “real estate tycoon”, is also the chairman of ceramic products company, Goh Ban Huat Bhd (GBH).

Tan is a shareholder of NipponKey Sdn Bhd with his two sons, Datuk Seri Edwin Tan Pei Seng and Datuk Seri Godwin Tan Pei Poh, holding a 40 and 30 per cent stake respectively.

*A previous version of this story contained errors which have since been corrected.