Azlan’s former senior private secretary, Herwardy Hashim, 45, testified that he had been instructed to request Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours to return the funds to Azlan’s personal account and to ask Aidil Travel & Tours to deposit cash into the same account.
Herwardy said the travel agents had required confirmation on travel dates and supporting documents, including passports, to proceed with booking flights, hotels and transport for Azlan’s family trips to London.
“However, Azlan later instructed me to inform them that he would make the arrangements for the holidays himself and to request that they refund the money.
“I could not confirm whether he took the trips or not. I only handled his leave approval and the use of his overseas leave entitlement,” said the 18th prosecution witness.
Herwardy said he was responsible for managing the travel documentation to enable Azlan to utilise his privileges under the state enactments, specifically concerning overseas leave.
He said Azlan recommended Sri Kedawang because he had previously joined tours organised by the company while serving at Wisma Putra, and had found their services satisfactory.
“The owner of Aidil Travel & Tours is Abdul Rahim Halim, who was previously a partner of Shafiei Ismail in Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours. I understand they are no longer partners.
“Rahim later established Aidil Travel & Tours, while Shafiei is no longer involved in the tourism sector. Since I had dealt with Rahim before, the arrangements for overseas trips continued smoothly despite the change,” he said.
Azlan, 67, faces five charges of submitting false claims for overseas holidays amounting to more than RM1.18 million. The offences were allegedly committed at the Perlis state secretary’s office between December 2013 and December 2017.
The claims involved quotations for flight tickets to London and invoices from Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd and Aidil Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd.
He is charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of the false claim, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Azlan also faces five additional charges of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to RM1.06 million under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
These offences were allegedly committed between Feb 19, 2014, and December 2017 at a Maybank branch on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, a CIMB branch in Putrajaya, and the Sheraton Imperial Hotel.
He also faces five alternative charges of criminal breach of trust under Section 403 of the Penal Code for allegedly misappropriating RM1.06 million in Perlis state funds. The offence carries a penalty of six months to five years’ imprisonment and may also include caning and a fine.
The trial before judge Azura Alwi continues on Jan 21.