Backbencher Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor can now breathe easy following news that the government will not go through with an appeal against his acquittal in a corruption case.

Four months ago, the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision to convict the Umno politician in his RM2 million graft case.

Shortly after the decision, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) as the prosecution filed an appeal with the Federal Court.

Yesterday, The Edge said it had “reliably learnt” that the prosecution had since withdrawn its appeal.

Malaysiakini is attempting to seek confirmation on the matter.

Adnan (above) is currently the Putrajaya MP and Umno treasurer-general.

Last December, the Kuala Lumpur High Court convicted him of accepting a RM2 million bribe in his former capacity as the federal territories minister from businessperson Chai Kin Kong, the director of property development firm Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd.

The 70-year-old was sentenced to 12 months in jail and fined RM2 million.

The Court of Appeal later quashed the conviction in a 2-1 majority decision.

Appeal bench chairperson Suraya Othman ruled that the RM2 million was a “political donation” for Umno for the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections in 2016.

This was based on prosecution witness Chai’s testimony, which she said the prosecution had failed to properly examine and the High Court had failed to consider.

In his dissenting ruling, judge Abu Bakar Jais upheld the conviction and sentence, saying it was “self-serving” for Adnan to rely on Chai’s testimony that the RM2 million was a political donation.

Abu Bakar also noted that Adnan had given conflicting statements about the purported receipt for the donation.