Former district council president facing four charges of graft

SHAH ALAM: The former president of a district council has been slapped with four charges for graft.

Dr Mohd Azhar Mohamed (pic), 48, who was the head of the then Kuala Langat District Council (MDKL), claimed trial to all the charges levelled against him at the Sessions Court here yesterday.

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 MDKL president.

According to the charge sheets, Dr Mohd Azhar committed all the offences at three locations – the MDKL office in Banting, a house in Sepang, and a recreational place in the district between July 14, 2017 and April 30, 2019.

The charges come 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 Mohd Azhar.

Noryusriza offered bail at RM100,000 and 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 of.

Ariff Azami asked for bail to be set at RM20,000, saying his client was his family’s sole breadwinner and had to support five of his own children and four stepchildren, with eight of them attending school.

Rozilah set bail at RM50,000 with one surety and ordered him to surrender his passport and to report to the MACC office in Putrajaya at the beginning of each month.

She set Oct 26 for document submission and for the case to be mentioned.