By Dayak Daily Team,Editor NL

Copyright dayakdaily

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Oct 1: The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has withdrawn all criminal charges against Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Professors Council (MPN), following a comprehensive review of the case and a forensic audit which confirmed that no evidence of misappropriation existed.

The decision—which Raduan described as “the truth finally prevailing”—brings an end to a legal ordeal that he says should never have taken place in the first place.

“I have consistently maintained from the beginning that the charges were baseless and irrational. I even refused to sign the charge sheet.

“The charges were filed before the forensic report was completed, and when the report was finally issued two months later, it confirmed there was no incriminating evidence whatsoever,” he said in a statement today.

Raduan revealed that the charges were scheduled on the very same day he was due to deliver a keynote address before the Sultan of Selangor, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Higher Education during Universiti Teknologi MARA’s (UiTM) Silver Jubilee celebration.

He also stressed that the decisions cited in the charges fell squarely within his managerial prerogative as MPN president.

“I am convinced the decisions I made were legitimate management decisions based on my organisational experience and academic expertise. Managerial judgment should never be criminalised,” he said.

To verify his position, he consulted 10 senior law professors and legal experts, most of whom agreed that the charges lacked merit under Section 409 of the Penal Code and revolved around managerial judgment rather than criminal conduct.

Raduan said the unfounded charges had caused significant harm to his credibility, image and dignity as an academic and national leader.

“My reputation built over decades was gravely undermined. I call upon those responsible to take corrective action and issue a public apology,” he urged, adding that he is considering pursuing his legal rights.

He expressed his gratitude to the MPN board, members, fellow academics and his family for their unwavering support throughout the ordeal. He was particularly touched by the prayers and congregational supplications offered by orphans and tahfiz students in several states, which he said gave him strength and confidence.

Looking ahead, Raduan said he remains committed to serving the nation through MPN and other platforms to contribute policy recommendations and strengthen academic voices in national development.

“I hope this episode serves as a lesson to further strengthen governance, integrity and the credibility of our justice system,” he said. “Above all, the truth has finally prevailed.”

Meanwhile, A.M. Zaharil & Co., the solicitors representing Raduan, expressed their highest appreciation to the Attorney General and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for their diligence, courage and objectivity in reviewing the case and withdrawing all charges.

They noted that the decision also cleared former officer Kefli Mahpol, who was charged alongside Raduan.

“This decision reflects the integrity and independence of Malaysia’s justice system and strengthens public confidence that the rule of law is upheld based on facts and credible evidence,” the legal team said.

They emphasised that official financial records and documents clearly showed that Raduan never misused institutional funds. On the contrary, he had personally contributed RM381,000 from his own savings and overdraft facilities to sustain MPN during a post-Covid financial crisis—paying staff salaries, rent and utilities on seven occasions.

“It is wholly unreasonable that someone who sacrificed so much for the organisation should be accused of misusing far smaller sums,” the solicitors said.

They clarified that the charges stemmed from two decisions made in his official capacity: approving advances to MPN’s commercial arm (MPNGR) as initial capital—which were fully repaid—and using progress payments from UKMShape to settle overdue salaries, which was legitimate operational spending.

“The very documents relied upon by the prosecution in fact supported and validated these management decisions,” they said, adding that investigators had failed to distinguish between an “advance” and a “progress payment”, which formed the basis of the charges.

The solicitors stressed that managerial discretion must not be criminalised, warning that prosecuting management decisions risks paralysing leaders who act to save their institutions.

“With the withdrawal of all charges, the truth has finally prevailed. Our client has never committed any breach of trust or abuse of power as alleged,” they added.

Raduan and former officer Kefli Mahpol were charged in August 2024 at the Shah Alam Sessions Court with seven counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM271,000 belonging to the National Professors Council (MPN).

The alleged offences, said to have taken place between March 2023 and April 2024 at MPN’s headquarters in Country Heights, Kajang, involved the transfer of funds into an individual’s account and the issuance of cheques purportedly linked to a programme with UKMShape.

Both pleaded not guilty to the charges, framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between two and 20 years, whipping and a fine upon conviction.

They were released on bail pending trial, but the case has now been dropped after the Attorney General’s Chambers found no evidence of wrongdoing following a comprehensive review and forensic audit. – DayakDaily