Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has assured that he will cough up payment if allegations are true that he owed travel bills of over RM300,000.
He added that his officers will check on the veracity of the allegations and get to the bottom of the matter.
“If there’s any outstanding amount that has yet to be paid, I will pay as it is my duty to do so,” he said after the launch of Malaysia SDG Summit 2019 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
He was commenting on an article by Sarawak Report which stated that YHA Travel & Tours would take Azmin to court for unpaid travel bills.
According to the article, the travel company has filed court documents and noted that the amount includes the minister’s flights within a six-month period.
“Despite repeated demands for payments by the plaintiff and/or its representative from the defendant and/or his representative, the aggregate amount has not been forthcoming, even though the claimed sum was never disputed,” said the company in its writ of summons.
Based on the article, Azmin was said to have run up about RM300,000 between last September and this June, in what appeared to be for a series of business and first-class flights involving his family members for leisure trips.
The article said including the interest and damages, the travel company said that it is owed RM328,901.
“I have not seen the writ of summon and I have asked my officers to check on the claims that were made by the respective travel agent.
“I do not know why they are taking this matter to the court. You have to ask them. It is being checked on,” he said.
The report also stated that this had broken a pattern of Azmin being a good paymaster who paid ‘within reasonable time’ over an established business relationship period of about 20 years.
YHA Travel & Tours’ writ was filed by Messrs Fong Yap & Gan.
It is understood that case management has been fixed for December 3 at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
Related report: Nov 6, Report: Azmin Sued over RM300K Unpaid Travel Bills