SEREMBAN: A 50-year-old self-employed man has claimed trial in a Magistrate's Court here to a charge of using a fake "Datuk" title from Negri Sembilan.
Ahmad Zailani Ali pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before Magistrate Nurul Saqinah Rosli on Monday (Dec 1).
The accused was charged with having three business cards with the title "Datuk" printed on them in a car at the Seremban Gateway carpark at around 11.30am on Nov 25.
He was charged under Section 3(1)(a) of the Offences Relating to Emblems, Awards and Titles Enactment (Negri Sembilan) 2017, which states that it is an offence to accept or use titles that have not been rightfully conferred.
Offenders can be fined between RM250,000 and RM500,000 or jailed between one and five years, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nik Nur Aqilah Syarfa Nik Zaidi then asked the court for a mention date to allow the submission of documents and for the accused to appoint a lawyer.
She also offered the accused bail of RM8,000.
However, the accused, who was represented by a lawyer from the Legal Aid Department, pleaded for minimal bail as he did not have a fixed income and had to provide for three children.
Magistrate Nurul Saqinah then set bail at RM3,000 with one surety and fixed Dec 15 for next mention.
