SHAH ALAM: The former president of a district council in Selangor was slapped with four charges for graft at the Sessions Court here Friday (Sept 30).
Dr Mohd Azhar Mohamed Ali, 48, who was the head of the then Kuala Langat District Council (MDKL) claimed trial to all the charges levelled against him.
MDKL has since been upgraded to the Kuala Langat Municipal Council (MPKL).
He was accused of receiving bribes amounting to RM100,000 in his capacity as the MDKL president in all four charges.
According to the charge sheets, Dr Azhar committed all the offences at three locations - the MDKL office in Banting, as well as a house in Sepang and a recreational spot in the district between July 14, 2017, and April 30, 2019.
He is alleged to have committed the offences under Section 165 of the Penal Code which comes with a jail term of up to two years or a fine or both if found guilty.
The charges were read before Judge Rozilah Salleh.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Noryusriza Zulkifli prosecuted while Ariff Azami Hussein appeared for Dr Azhar.
Noryusriza offered bail at RM100,000 as well as for the accused to surrender his passport to the court and report himself at the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office once a month until the case is disposed.
Ariff Azami pleaded for bail to be set at RM20,000 citing that Dr Azhar was his family’s sole breadwinner and had to support five of his own children and four step-children with eight of them attending school.
Judge Rozillah set bail at RM50,000 with one surety and ordered Dr Azhar to surrender his passport as well as report to the MACC office in Putrajaya at the beginning of each month.
She also set Oct 26 for document submission and for the case to be mentioned.
