Halal GLC says acting chair vetted by MACC, has no graft record

The Halal Development Corp (HDC) says its acting chairperson, Azhari Shaari, has been vetted by the MACC and has no record of being guilty of corruption.

This is after Azhari’s presence on the HDC board of directors was red-flagged by PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari over the former’s guilty plea in a criminal case.

In 2023, Azhari - who is also Shah Alam Umno chief - was slapped with three charges under Section 403 of the Penal Code for dishonestly misappropriating RM440,000 meant for orphans and an Aidiladha korban (animal sacrifice) programme.

He also faced three charges under Section 471 of the Penal Code for knowingly using fake annual general meeting minutes as genuine documents.

While he initially pleaded not guilty, the MACC’s 2023 annual report stated that he later entered a guilty plea for one of the forgery charges.

This then resulted in the withdrawal of the five other charges against him.

Azhari was fined RM1,900 for the forgery charge he pleaded guilty to, while RM220,000 was forfeited to the government.

In a statement today, HDC’s corporate communications department said that the Umno leader was appointed by the Investment, Trade, and Industry Ministry as a board director at the GLC in October 2024.

As part of his appointment, he was vetted by the MACC, which in November 2024 declared him free of any graft records.

“As a GLC, HDC is committed to upholding the principles of integrity, transparency, and effective corporate governance in all aspects of its management and implementation of its corporate responsibility,” the company said.

Azhari was appointed as HDC acting chairperson starting June 17 this year.

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