AZLAN MAN RECEIVES CHEQUES AMOUNTING MORE THAN RM600,000 FROM TRAVEL AGENCY - WITNESS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18  (Bernama) -- The Sessions Court here was today told that former Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man received three cheques amounting to RM629,395.30 from a travel agency from 2014 to 2016.

Maybank Jalan Raja Laut Branch assistant manager J D David Jesudasan, 55, who is the first prosecution witness, said the three cheques were from Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd.

The one dated Feb 14, 2014, was for RM208,339.90, while the second cheque, dated Feb 5, 2015, was for RM196,651 and the third cheque, for RM224,404.40 was dated Jan 20, 2016, he said when reading his witness statement on the first-day trial of the former Bintong Assemblyman.

Azlan is facing 10 charges of submitting false overseas travel claims and receiving proceeds from unlawful activities between 2013 and 2017.

 Jesudasan, who joined the banking sector in 1996, also told the court there was an inflow of money through a cheque amounting to RM230,230 from the Perlis State Treasury into the bank account of Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd on Jan 10, 2014.

"There were two more online transactions from the bank into the Sri Kedawang's Maybank account amounting to RM216,260 on Dec 19, 2014, and RM241,295.40 on Dec 23, 2015," he said.

On April 10 last year,  Azlan, 65, pleaded not guilty to five charges of submitting false claims for overseas travels amounting to more than RM1.18 million, allegedly committed at the Perlis State Secretary's Office, State Legislative Assembly Complex, Persiaran Wawasan, in Kangar, between December 2013 and December 2017.

It involved a quotation for flight tickets to London, United Kingdom, and invoices from Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd and Aidil Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd.

The charges were framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 which provides a prison sentence of 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.

Two days later (April 12), Azlan pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here to five charges of receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM1.06 million between Feb 19, 2014, and December 2017.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Maybank Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman branch here, CIMB Bank Putrajaya branch and Sheraton Imperial Hotel here, between  Feb 19, 2014, and December 2017.

The charges are framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which is punishable under Section 4(1) of the same law.

The section provides a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and can be fined not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds of the illegal activity or RM5 million, whichever is higher upon conviction.

The hearing before Judge Azura Alwi continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA