Azlan Man’s London holiday refund inappropriate, witness says

Former Perlis governor Azlan Man is on trial for allegedly submitting more than RM1.18 million in false holiday declarations while in office. (Bernama Photo)

KUALA LUMPUR: A former director of Aidil Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd has told the High Court that it was inappropriate for a RM430,000 refund to be made directly to former Perlis landowner Azlan Man after a family holiday was cancelled.

The prosecution’s seventh witness, Azri Ahmad, 49, admitted it was strange that the reimbursement was made to Azlan as the Perlis government had paid for the London holidays in 2016 and 2017.

“Speaking on behalf of the company (Aidil Travel & Tours), my objective was to provide a proper service, but it was unusual and wrong in my view to return state government money to an individual,” he said during re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Noralis Mat.

Earlier, reading his witness statement, Azri said Azlan had cancelled his London holiday bookings – costing RM253,000 and RM244,000 respectively – which had been paid for by the state government.

However, Azri noted that a refund cheque for the 2016 cancellation of RM222,000 (less fees) was deposited into Azlan’s bank account.

“For the cancellation of the 2017 holiday, Abdul Rahim Halim (former sales director of Aidil Travel & Tours) and I personally handed over the refund of RM207,500 to Azlan at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

Today is the seventh day of Azlan’s trial on charges of submitting false statements and receiving proceeds of illegal activities.

When Noralis asked the reason for Azlan’s cancellations, Azri said Rahim informed him that Azlan had faced time constraints and had requested a refund of the deposits.

Noralis: Why was the holiday refund transferred to Azlan’s personal account?

Azri: Because no reservations, such as for tickets, were made. We refunded the money through Herwady Hashim (then Azlan’s chief private secretary).

In response to Noralis’ question about how he remembered the refund, Azri replied: “I remember it because the company had never processed such a large amount before.”

Azlan, 65, faces five charges for submitting false overseas holiday allowance claims amounting to RM1.18 million, allegedly committed at the office of Perlis state secretary, Kompleks Dewan Undangan Negeri, Persiaran Wawasan, Kangar between December 2013 and December 2017.

The charges include quotes for air tickets to London and invoices from Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd and Aidil Travel & Tours.

He also pleaded not guilty to five counts of receiving money from illicit activities totalling RM1.06 million between Feb 19, 2014 and December 2017 at Maybank branch in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur, CIMB Bank in Putrajaya and Sheraton Imperial Hotel in Kuala Lumpur for the same period.

The hearing before Judge Azura Alwi will resume on November 11.