The Sessions Court has imposed a five-year jail sentence on a former senior government official for corruption, Bernama news agency said.

Abdul Aziz Muhamad, former rural development ministry secretary-general, was sentenced for cheating and abetting a criminal breach of trust involving RM11 million.

The money was to be used for projects to assist "hardcore" poor people in the country. The offence was committed between June 24 and Aug 9, 1999.

Sessions Court judge Mohamad Zaki Abdul Wahab allowed Abdul Aziz, 61, to remain free on bail pending an appeal. He had been found guilty last Friday.