KUALA LUMPUR: Former Perlis mentri besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man (pic) has been charged with five alternative counts of misappropriating RM1.06mil belonging to the Perlis government.
He pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here yesterday. The charges were read out to him before Judge Azura Alwi.
According to the five charges, Azlan, 65, is alleged to have misappropriated RM1.06mil belonging to the Perlis government in payments to Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd and Aidil Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd through invoices and orders from the Perlis government in Financial Year 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 by ordering the money to be deposited into his Maybank and CIMB accounts.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Maybank Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman branch here, the CIMB Bank Putrajaya branch and at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel here between Feb 19, 2014, and December 2017.
The charges were framed under 403 of the Penal Code, which provides imprisonment for up to five years and a whipping, and shall also be liable to a fine upon conviction, Bernama reported.The former Bintong assemblyman maintained his not guilty plea on five main charges, namely as an agent of Perlis in his capacity as then Perlis mentri besar, to using several documents containing false details to make claims for an overseas holiday in London when no such trip was made.
The documents included invoices and quotations for return air tickets and hotel accommodation, issued by Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd and Aidil Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, and Perlis state government order form AM 75E, which were allegedly used for making claims for air tickets, hotel accommodation and transport.
All the offences were allegedly committed at the Perlis State Secretary’s Office, Kompleks Dewan Undangan Negeri here between December 2013 and December 2017.
Azlan was charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, which provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the false claims or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
KLCC CIMB bank branch customer service manager Mohd Nazrie Mohmad Kahar, 50, told the court that Aidil Travel issued a cheque amounting to RM222,811.95 in the name of Azlan Man seven years ago.
“The check is a withdrawal transaction for April 3, 2017, with the details on Aidil Travel’s CIMB bank statement account stating HOUSE CHQ DR, which means the transaction was for withdrawal by cheque into the CIMB Bank account,” he said when reading his witness statement.
Mohd Nazrie, who is the ninth prosecution witness, said the travel company issued five cash cheques for RM225,772.40 at CIMB Bank Kampung Baru branch on Dec 28, 2017.
The court set Feb 3 next year to continue the hearing. Case management will take place next month on Dec 6.
