Businessmen charged with submitting RM756,980 false claims for Penjana Kerjaya incentives
They are accused of submitting false documents as the employees named in their employee verification forms were not employed at their companies.
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Two businessmen were charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court today with submitting false documents to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to claim incentives amounting to a total of RM756,980 under the Penjana Kerjaya Programme 2.0 and 3.0 programmes.
Bmine Enterprise manager Muhammad Asyraf Omar, 31, pleaded not guilty to one count while RR Sinergi Enterprise owner Muhammad Aliff Abdul Rashid, 36, claimed trial to six counts before judge Rozilah Salleh.
Asyraf is alleged to have submitted false documents through an employee verification form dated May 20, 2021 in the name of Bmine Enterprise for incentives amounting to RM42,000.
Aliff meanwhile was charged with committing a similar offence under the name Perusahaan RR Sinergi Enterprise, in forms dated May 20 and 21 and Sept 4, 2021 to claim incentives totalling RM714,180.
They were charged with intending to deceive Socso by submitting documents containing false statements as the employees named in the documents were not employed at their companies.
Asyraf is alleged to have committed the act at Wisma Perkeso Petaling Jaya on March 22, 2021 and Aliff, at Perkeso Rawang, on June 12 and Sept 14, 2021.
The charges, framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act and punishable under Section 24 (2), carry imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the claims, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin asked that Asyraf be bailed at RM10,000 with one surety, and Aliff at RM50,000 with one surety, with the condition that they report to the nearest MACC office once a month pending the disposal of their cases.
Asyraf, who was unrepresented, pleaded for a lower bail on grounds that he was his family's breadwinner and had been charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with similar charges, while Aliff, represented by lawyer Ahmad Naqib Azhar, requested lower bail on grounds that he had cooperated with MACC during the investigation.
Rozilah allowed Asyraf bail of RM5,000 with one surety, while Aliff was released on bail of RM50,000 with one surety and additional conditions as requested by the prosecution.
The court set Feb 13 and 27 respectively for mention of their cases.
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