JOHOR BARU (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - An unemployed man has claimed trial at a magistrate's court here for breaking into the Johor palace, causing RM20,000 (S$6,700) in damages and trying to steal a Ferrari owned by the Sultan of Johor.

Sanusi Mohammad, 31, pleaded not guilty to three charges of trespassing in the garages of Istana Bukit Serene and causing damage, as well as a drug offence when the charges were read to him before a magistrate on Sunday (March 11).

For the first charge, Sanusi had allegedly trespassed into the palace and attempted to steal the car owned by Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar on March 1 at around 12.30pm.

Sanusi was charged under a secition of the penal code which carries a maximum five years' jail or fine, or both, upon conviction.

He faces a third charge of allegedly taking amphetamine and methamphetamine at the Johor Baru south district police headquarters on March 1 at 5pm.

For this act, he could be fined RM5,000 or jailed for two years, or both.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Syafiq Mohd Ghazali did not offer bail, citing Section 8 of the Prohibited Areas and Prohibited Places Act 1959.

But the accused, who was unrepresented, requested for bail as he had to support his family.

The court set bail at RM9,000 with one surety and set April 2 for next mention.

Sanusi did not settle the bail and was brought to the Ulu Choh Remand Centre in Pulai district.