27 minutes
ALOR STAR: A senior lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and a contractor pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today 39 counts of making false claims and power abuse.
Associate Professor Dr Hartini Ahmad, 49, and Nazrul Idham Abu Nasir, 42, made the plea before judge Juraidah Abbas.
They were alleged to have embezzled the UUM funds for Industry-Centre of Excellence (ICoE) between 2013 and 2015 when Hartini was a director at the UUM Centre for University-Industry Collaboration (CUIC).
Hartini faced 33 counts of making false claims and power abuse, involving RM1.48 million, while six charges for allegedly making false claims, involving RM492,000, were made against Nazrul Idham.
The court allowed Hartini bail of RM65,000 in one surety for all charges, while bail for Nazrul Idham was set at RM25,000 in one surety for the six charges.
Juraidah set April 29 for mention.
Deputy public prosecutor from the Kedah Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Tan Sew Ping prosecuted, while Hartini and Nazrul Idham were represented by lawyers Saiful Ambar Abdullah Ambar and Evawani Farisyta Mohammad, respectively. — Bernama
