KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Kedah state executive councillor Haim Hilman Abdullah pleaded not guilty today to a charge of making a statement during a PAS ceramah that could potentially cause public fear or alarm, according to The Star.

The Jitra assemblyman claimed trial after the charge was read out before Magistrate Nurul Saqinah Rosli at the Magistrate’s Court here today.

Haim Hilman, who is the state Industry and Investment, Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation committee chairman, was charged with making the statement between 8pm and midnight on June 13 at Markas PAS Seremban along Jalan Jelebu.

According to the report, he was charged under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum jail term of two years, a fine, or both upon conviction.

The charge relates to remarks he allegedly made claiming that public universities were selling admission places to wealthy individuals.

He also allegedly claimed that students seeking admission to the institutions could only enter through the “back door”.

Haim Hilman was also accused of claiming that deserving students who performed well in SPM, STPM, matriculation and Asasi programmes were denied places in competitive and critical courses because such places were being sold.

He further alleged that the government had not provided sufficient funding or places at the universities.

State prosecution chief Ku Hayati Ku Haron offered bail of RM10,000 pending the next mention and requested that Haim Hilman surrender his passport to the court.

However, defence counsel Mohd Faizi Che Abu sought a lower bail of RM5,000 and objected to the passport surrender request.

He added that his client had voluntarily attended court to clear his name and urged the court to impose a reasonable bail.

Magistrate Nurul Saqinah then set bail at RM5,000 with one surety and fixed July 30 for the next mention, The Star reported.