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

The prosecution applied for the five cases under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 to be combined and heard together with another 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, Azlan, 64, pleaded not guilty in the sessions court here to five charges of making false claims for a 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 punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act.

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, upon conviction.

Two days later, Azlan was charged in the Kuala Lumpur sessions court with five counts 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 the Perlis menteri besar from 2013 to 2022. He was the Pauh assemblyman from 2013 to 2018. He won the Bintong state seat in 2018 but failed to defend the seat in the last general election in November 2022.