This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 6, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: A travel agency has filed a suit against Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali over alleged non-payment of nearly RM329,000 in travel bills incurred by him and his family, including for his much-publicised Sandakan trip during the by-election there.

YHA Travel and Tours (M) Sdn Bhd’s suit was filed in the Sessions Court here on Saturday through Messrs Fong Yap & Gan.

According to YHA’s statement of claim sighted by The Edge Financial Daily through a file search, Mohamed Azmin had been a customer of the travel agency for 20 years.

The company claimed the PKR deputy president would normally settle his bills within three to four months, but in this instance the payments have been outstanding for far longer.

It was referring to trips made between Sept 10, 2018 and Aug 5 this year. They include family trips to Marrakech, London, Jakarta, Gold Coast, Dubai, Geneva, Singapore, Bangkok, Barcelona and Santorini, said YHA.

The company also provided the itineraries of Mohamed Azmin’s trips to Hanoi and Kota Kinabalu between Sept 14 and 16, 2018 and to Sandakan on May 10 and 11 this year, during the Sandakan by-election.

“There has never been any dispute by the defendant and any of his authorised representative that he would settle or make arrangements to settle the outstanding debts in these accounts,” YHA said in the statement of claim.

The company claimed it sent a first letter of demand to Mohamed Azmin on Aug 27 and another on Sept 30, but received no response.

“Notwithstanding the repeated demands, the defendant had failed and neglected and refused to pay the amount stipulated,” said YHA.

The company is seeking a judgement sum of RM328,901, plus interest and other relief deemed necessary by the court.

The matter has been set for case management on Dec 3.

As at press time, The Edge Financial Daily was unable to get Mohamed Azmin’s comment on YHA’s claim.