KUALA LUMPUR: A key prosecution witness told the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (Jan 21) that he obtained details about Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd from Datuk Seri Azlan Man, the former Perlis mentri besar, who faces ten charges of submitting false claims and receiving proceeds from unlawful activities.
Herwadey Hashim, 45, the former senior private secretary to Azlan, was testifying during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Noralis Mat.
Herwadey said Azlan provided him with the telephone number of the company's owner, Shafie Ismail, the prosecution's tenth witness, to arrange Azlan's overseas travel.
"At first, I understood that En Shafie was the owner of Sri Kedawang. I was later informed that he was an officer at that travel agency," he said.
On Dec 3 last year, Herwadey told the court that Azlan had recommended Sri Kedawang for overseas travel arrangements, as he had used their services while serving at Wisma Putra and found it to be excellent.
The 18th prosecution witness explained that it was standard procedure for the Menteri Besar's overseas leave applications to be made in writing to the State Secretary's Management Services Division, and that his understanding was based on the files of previous officeholders.
Noralis: You agreed with the defence counsel that the approval of the local order and the payment to the travel company were lawful. What do you mean by "lawful"?
Herwadey: The payment from the State Secretary to the supplier was lawful because all the documents were in order and proper procedures were followed.
Separately, Herwadey agreed with Azlan's counsel, Ramli Shariff, that he had managed all of Azlan's overseas leave claims from 2013 to 2017, handling everything from drafting the memo to disbursing the funds.
He also agreed that, in practice, his actions in making these travel arrangements were lawful and did not breach any regulations.
Azlan, 67, faces five charges related to fraudulent claims for overseas travel facilities exceeding RM1.18mil, allegedly committed at the Perlis State Secretary's Office between December 2013 and December 2017, involving quotations for flight tickets to London, United Kingdom, as well as invoices from Sri Kedawang Travel and Aidil Travel & Tours.
These charges were brought under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, 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.
He faces five additional charges of receiving RM1.06mil in proceeds from unlawful activities between Feb 19, 2014, and December 2017 at several locations, including a Maybank branch on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, a CIMB Bank branch in Putrajaya, and the Sheraton Imperial Hotel.
He was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which provides a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds of the illegal activity or RM5mil, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
He is also accused of five alternative counts of allegedly misappropriating RM1.06mil in state funds paid to Sri Kedawang Travel and Aidil Travel & Tours, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to five years, caning and shall also be liable to a fine upon conviction.
The trial before Judge Azura Alwi will resume on March 31. - Bernama
