Ex-Perlis MB's false claims case transferred to KL for joint hearing

The Kangar Sessions Court today allowed former Perlis menteri besar Azlan Man's case involving five charges of submitting false claims amounting to RM1.185 million to be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

Judge Norsalha Hamzah made the decision following an application by deputy public prosecutor Rehab Abdul Shukur, from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Rehab, after lawyer Burhanudeen Abdul Wahid, representing Azlan, did not object to it.

The prosecution applied for the five cases under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 to be combined and heard together with the other five cases, framed under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, made against Azlan at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

The application, made under Section 165 of the Criminal Procedure Code, was on the grounds that all the cases involved the same witnesses and investigations.

On April 10 this year, Azlan, 64, pleaded not guilty in the Kangar Sessions Court, to five charges of making false claims for an overseas holiday in London amounting to more than RM1.185 million between 2013 and 2017 when there was no such trip made.
 
The charge was framed under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 and is liable to be punished under Section 24(2) of the same act.

On conviction, the section provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the false claims involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher. 

Two days later, Azlan was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with five charges of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to RM1.06 million. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and judge Azura Alwi set June 9 for mention.

Azlan was Perlis Menteri Besar from 2013 to 2022. He was Pauh assemblyman from 2013 to 2018, before winning the Bintong state seat in 2018. He failed to defend the seat in the last general election in 2022.