KANGAR: Former Perlis mentri besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man claimed trial to five counts of submitting false claims amounting to RM1.185mil for his trip to England from 2013 to 2017.
Azlan, 65, pleaded not guilty to the charges before Sessions Court judge Norsalha Hamzah yesterday.
The claims were meant for accommodation, transportation and flight tickets to London for a period of five years.
As a mentri besar then, he was entitled to an annual paid holiday overseas.
He, however, allegedly did not make the trips.
In the first charge, Azlan is alleged to have deceived the Perlis government by submitting an invoice of RM230,230 from travel agency Sri Kedawang Travel and Tours (W) Sdn Bhd dated Dec 11, 2013.
He is said to have falsely claimed the amount for his return flight tickets, hotel stay and transportation in London from Dec 20, 2013 to Jan 2, 2014.
For the second charge, he is accused of deceiving the state government by submitting flight tickets and hotel quotation for a trip to London from the same travel agency dated Nov 20, 2014.
The former mentri besar also submitted a state government’s purchasing order dated Dec 5, 2014 and an invoice from the same agency dated Dec 17, 2014 for flight tickets and accommodation in London, amounting to RM216,260.
He did not travel there from Dec 17 to Dec 26, 2014.
For the third charge, he is accused of deceiving the state government by submitting flight ticket and hotel quotation for a trip to London dated Nov 26, 2015.
No comment: Azlan trying to avoid the media after he was charged in the Kangar Sessions Court.
He also submitted a state government purchasing order dated Dec 9, 2015 and an invoice dated Dec 21, 2015 for a similar trip worth RM241,295.40 for flight tickets and hotel stay in London from Dec 18 to Dec 29, 2015.
For the fourth charge, Azlan is accused of deceiving the state government by submitting flight tickets and hotel quotation dated Dec 14, 2016 from Aidil Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd, a state government purchasing order dated Dec 19, 2016 and an invoice from the travel agency dated Dec 29, 2016.
The false claim, amounting to RM253,195, was meant for return flight tickets to London and hotel stay from Dec 23, 2016 to Jan 1, 2017.
Under the fifth charge, he is said to have deceived the state government by submitting flight tickets and hotel quotation dated Nov 8, 2017 from Aidil Travel and Tours, a state government purchasing order dated Nov 17, 2017 and an invoice from the travel agency dated Nov 30, 2017 with false claims amounting to RM244,079.30 for return flight tickets to London and hotel stay from Nov 23 to Nov 30, 2017.
All the charges were framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
The offence, punishable under Section 24 of the same law, provides for imprisonment of not more than 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The court granted RM50,000 bail in one surety. Azlan was also ordered to surrender his passport.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib prosecuted while Azlan was represented by lawyers Burhanudeen Abdul Wahid and Ramli Shariff.
Norsalha fixed May 12 for next mention.
Azlan is also expected to face charges under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Illegal Activities Act tomorrow.
He was the state’s ninth mentri besar from 2013 to 2022.
He first won the Pauh state seat in 2013 before winning the Bintong state seat in 2018.
He failed to retain Bintong in the 15th General Election last year.
