WITNESS CONFIRMS RM404,990 WAS DEPOSITED INTO AZLAN MAN'S ACCOUNT

KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 (Bernama) -- The Sessions Court here was informed today that RM404,990.90 was deposited into the Maybank account of former Perlis menteri besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man in 2014 and 2015.

Hasimah Hassim, 54, an assistant manager at the Maybank Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman branch, testified that the funds were deposited into Azlan's Maybank account via two checks from Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd.

“I confirm that a check for RM208,339.90 was deposited into Azlan’s Maybank account on Feb 19, 2014, and another for RM196,651 on Feb 9, 2015, from the same company,” said the third prosecution witness.

She was reading her witness statement on the second day of the former Bintong state assemblyman’s corruption trial. He is facing a total of ten charges of submitting false claims and receiving money from unlawful activities.

Hasimah, who has been in the banking sector since 1993, also confirmed that Azlan opened the account in 1985.

However, when questioned by Azlan's lawyer Burhanudeen Abdul Wahid whether the documents submitted for opening the account were originals, Hasimah replied that they were not.

She said this was because the address provided was the official residence of the Perlis menteri besar, a position Azlan did not hold at the time.

“These are not original documents. Since the account was opened in 1985, the bank does not have any documents for address changes,” Hasimah replied.

When Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Mohammad Shaiful Nasir asked her to clarify the original documents for account opening, Hasimah said there was only computer-generated account opening information from the Maybank system.

Five of the charges Azlan, 65, faces are related to false claims for overseas trips totaling over RM1.18 million, allegedly made at the Perlis state secretary's office, in Kangar, between December 2013 and December 2017.

They involve quotations for flights to London, United Kingdom, and invoices from Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd and Aidil Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd.

He is charged under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 which provides for a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. 

Azlan had previously pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to the other five charges of receiving RM1.06 million from illegal activities between Feb 19, 2014, and Dec 2017, at Maybank Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, CIMB Bank Putrajaya branch, and Sheraton Imperial Hotel.

He was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds from Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum prison term of 15 years and a fine of five times the value of the proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The trial before Judge Azura Alwi resumes on Aug 1.

-- BERNAMA