The seventh prosecution witness, Azri Ahmad, 49, acknowledged it was odd that the refund was made to Azlan, because the Perlis government had paid for the holidays to London in 2016 and 2017.
“Speaking on behalf of the company (Aidil Travel & Tours), I aimed to provide proper service, but it was unusual and wrong in my view to return money from the state government to an individual,” he said during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Noralis Mat.
Earlier, while reading his witness statement, Azri said Azlan had cancelled his holiday bookings to London – 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 (minus fees) was deposited into Azlan’s bank account.
“For the 2017 vacation cancellation, Abdul Rahim Halim (the former sales manager of Aidil Travel & Tours) and I personally handed 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 for submitting false claims and receiving proceeds from unlawful activities.
When Noralis enquired about 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 vacation refund returned to Azlan’s personal account?
Azri: Because no bookings, such as tickets, were made. We returned the money through Herwady Hashim (Azlan’s then senior private secretary).
In response to Noralis’s question on how he could remember the refund, Azri replied: “I remember it because the company had never handled such a large amount before”.
Azlan, 65, faces five counts of submitting false claims for RM1.18 million in overseas holiday allowances, allegedly committed at the Perlis state secretary’s office, Kompleks Dewan Undangan Negeri, Persiaran Wawasan, Kangar between December 2013 and December 2017.
The charges involve quotations for flight 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 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 hearing before judge Azura Alwi will resume on Nov 11.