Azlan Man collected RM629,000 for cancelled London trips, witness testifies

August 20, 2024

Azlan Man collected RM629,000 for cancelled London trips, witness testifies

PETALING JAYA: Former Perlis menteri besar Azlan Man collected more than RM629,000 in refunds for family trips to London, booked and paid for by the state government, which were then cancelled, the sessions court was told today.

Fazilah Jelani, 47, a travel agency accounts assistant, testified that Azlan made bookings for flights, hotel accommodation and transport in 2013, 2014 and 2015 through the agency, Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd.

She said the bookings were made through the Perlis state government, Bernama reported. Azlan then had all the bookings cancelled, with the refund, minus the cancellation fee, amounting to RM629,395.30 paid to Azlan through a cheque in his name.

Fazilah was testifying at Azlan’s trial on charges of making false claims for overseas holiday trips worth over RM1.18 million between December 2013 and December 2017 booked through Sri Kedawang and another agency, Aidil Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd.

Azlan faces 10 charges of submitting false claims and receiving funds from illicit activities.

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When asked by deputy public prosecutor Noralis Mat about the cancellation and refund, Fazilah said the state government should have provided a copy of the passports for the purpose of booking flight tickets and accommodation after the bookings were confirmed and payment made.

“I was then informed that Datuk Azlan wanted to cancel the booking and asked for a refund,” she said.

While reading her witness testimony earlier, Fazilah confirmed the copy of an invoice from Sri Kedawang dated Dec 11, 2013 for a total of RM230,230. The invoice, submitted to the Perlis state secretary, was for the cost of the flight tickets, hotel and transport to London from Dec 20, 2013 to Jan 2, 2014.

An invoice dated Dec 17, 2014 for RM216,260 was for tickets to London and hotel accommodation for Azlan and his family booked through the Perlis menteri besar’s senior private secretary on Nov 20, 2014.

She also confirmed a quotation dated Nov 26, 2015 for a total of RM241,295.40 for flight tickets to London and hotel accommodation for Azlan and his family, booked through the Perlis menteri besar’s senior private secretary.

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“I confirm all deposits of payment for Azlan’s tour packages to Sri Kedawang’s Maybank account were from the Perlis state government,” she said.

Shown a copy of the payment vouchers dated Feb 5, 2015 and Jan 20, 2016, she confirmed that the document was for “refund due to cancelled trip” for the bookings made in 2014 and 2015.

She also confirmed that the refund document for the 2013 booking was undated.

Azlan, 65, has been charged with making false claims for overseas holiday trips worth over RM1.18 million between December 2013 and December 2017. They involved quotations of flight tickets to London and invoices of Sri Kedawang and Aidil Travel & Tours.

He also pleaded not guilty to the five counts of receiving money from illicit activities totalling RM1.06 million between Feb 19, 2014 and December 2017 at the 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 trial at the sessions court in Kuala Lumpur is held before sessions judge Azura Alwi. It continues on Wednesday.