It is rare for ruling party politicians to be charged with corruption. Prime Minister Najib Razak, who took office earlier this year, has pledged to crack down on corruption.

Abdul Rahman Bakri, a parliamentarian of the ruling United Malays National Organization party, pleaded not guilty in a court just outside Kuala Lumpur to making false claims on eight occasions, his lawyer Salehuddin Saidin said.

Abdul Rahman faces up to 20 years in prison for each offense and risks losing his seat if found guilty. Parliamentarians who serve a year in prison or are fined 2,000 ringgit ($580) or more lose their seats.

Abdul Rahman is alleged to have claimed 10,000 ringgit ($3,000) for events, such as student programs and a family day, that never took place while he was a state lawmaker late last year, Salehuddin said. He was freed on bail, and a first hearing has been set for Dec. 14, he said.

The five others charged for various other graft offenses were Abdul Rahman's aide for helping him make the false claims; a former aide to the chief minister of opposition-run Selangor state; an aide to a Selangor state legislative assembly member from an opposition party; a former ruling coalition assembly member and a company director, a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission official said.

All of them face jail if found guilty, said the official, who declined to be named citing protocol.

Corruption is pervasive in Malaysia and ranges from small bribes to police officers to millions of dollars for contracts. But few high-ranking figures have been charged and even fewer have been convicted.