SHAH ALAM: A professor from Universiti Teknologi Mara's Sungai Buloh campus is seeking to have 18 charges against her, related to salary claims for non-existent research work, dropped.
Lawyer Shamsul Sulaiman, who stood for Professor Datin Dr Hapizah Md Nawawi, 64, informed Sessions Court Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang of this development today.
"We will write a representation to the Attorney-General's Chamber (A-GC) for them to consider withdrawing the charges.
"I propose Nov 20 for us to inform the court of the decision of the representation," he said.
He also confirmed that prosecuting officer Mohd Aliff Shaharuzaman had handed over bundles of documents related to the case to him.
After hearing this, Awang Kerisnada told Shamsul to send the representation to the A-GC immediately and set Nov 20 to hear its decision.
On July 31, Dr Hapizah claimed trial to 18 charges of submitting RM38,000 worth of salary claims for non-existent research work three years ago.
She was accused of conspiring with Amirah Mohd Ariff, 28, to commit the offences under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act with the intention to deceive her principals, who are three treasurers and an assistant accountant.
She allegedly made monthly research assistant salary payment claims from March 2021 to Sept 2022 for works titled "Mechanism of Drone-assisted Technology on Efficiency of Mass Disaster Victim Identification" with false details for research work that was never conducted and she was aware it was to mislead the principals.