KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 23): A former general manager of a travel agency told the Sessions Court on Friday that he found it odd or strange that the Perlis government had paid for the booking of reservations made by then menteri besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man, but when the cancellation was made, the travel agency had to pay it to Azlan.
Mohamad Azri Ahmad, 49, a former general manager of Aidil Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, who worked there between 2015 and 2023, told Deputy Public Prosecutor Noralis Mat Rasyidah Azmi Kalai that such a transaction “was wrong”.
Azri was testifying as the eighth prosecution witness in Azlan’s trial, where the former menteri besar is facing five counts of false claims for overseas vacation allowances amounting to over RM1.18 million, 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 and Aidil Travel.
Azlan is charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction
The witness was re-examined by Noralis, who asked Azri to clarify what he meant when cross-examined by Azlan’s counsel Burhanudeen Abdul Wahid previously, when he said that his company had no intention of cheating the Perlis government when involved in the transaction.
Azri said what he meant was on behalf of himself or the company, but he felt it was odd.
“The payment was made by the Perlis government, [whereas after the cancellation was made, the return] was paid to an individual (Azlan),” he added.
Booking in 2016 and 2017 made and paid, but cancelled
Earlier, Azri testified that Azlan had made a booking with Aidil Travel through freelance sales manager Abdul Rahim Halim for London trips in 2016 and 2017. Rahim was previously a sales manager at Sri Kedawang.
Azri said Rahim had informed him that the then senior private secretary to the menteri besar of Perlis, Herwadey Hashim, wanted to make a booking for Azlan’s family trip to London, where the menteri besar and his family, as well as his special officer, were entitled to such a holiday once a year, for a trip as far as London.
“Sometime in November or December 2016, Herwadey contacted Rahim, informing him that Azlan wanted to claim for the holiday through Aidil Travel, and my company prepared a quotation dated Dec 14, 2016, to the amount of RM253,195.40, for the Kuala Lumpur to London trip scheduled for Dec 23, 2016 to Jan 1, 2017, which covered flight tickets and accommodation for Azlan, his wife, three children, and his special officer.
“After the quotation was sent, Aidil Travel waited for the local order (LO) from the Perlis government. After the LO was received and the company confirmed the amount, the company issued an invoice dated Dec 29, 2016 for further action, which was addressed to Herwadey. Subsequently, the Perlis government issued a payment of RM253,195.40 through a government reservation,” the witness added.
However, Azri said Azlan and his family did not go on the Dec 23 trip, and through Herwadey, the company was directed to pay RM222,811.95 through Aidil Travel’s cheque dated Jan 24, 2017. This, he added, was minus a 12% service charge imposed by the company.
The witness said that similarly, Rahim had informed him that Azlan supposedly wanted to make a trip to London with his family between Nov 24 and Nov 30, 2017, and subsequently, a quotation was prepared to the amount of RM244,079.28 by Aidil Travel.
He added that like previously, an invoice dated Nov 30, 2017 was issued for the claim, and the sum was credited following payment to the company account in December 2017.
“However, Azlan did not go on the November trip, and sometime in late December that year, he requested a refund of the amount of RM207,468, to be paid to him in cash, after minus (deducting) a 15% service charge from the original amount,” the witness said.
The service charge was imposed for the purpose of commission and paying income tax for the company, he added.
Azri explained that in all those arrangements, he did not know Azlan personally, and all the requests were made through Rahim via Herwadey. Azri denied having any relationship with Rahim or Herwadey.
Prior to this, witnesses from Sri Kedawang testified that the booking was made by Azlan, and after payments were made, the sums were returned by the travel agency to Azlan and not to the Perlis government.
The trial before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi continues on Nov 11 to 13.