KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab has run foul of the law for having a RM13,860 dental implant treatment allegedly sponsored by a company director whose firm does overseas advertising for the board.

Mirza, who claimed trial at the Sessions Court here, is alleged to have received the sponsorship from Zulhisyam Ayob, 48, who is the director of Perunding Pakar Media. Mirza's elder brother is also a partner in the consultancy firm.

The 50-year-old accused, who was then Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board's deputy director-general I, was said to have sought the treatment at Clinical Practice Prosthodontics (CPP) via a cheque issued to him.