KUALA LUMPUR – A former director of the Malaysian Intellect Development Foundation (MIDF) was fined RM85,000, in default of six months’ jail, by the sessions court here today for falsifying payment vouchers on expenditure by the Indian Community Transformation Unit’s (Mitra) funds for the Tamil Schools Post-Covid-19 Assistance (TAS-Covid) programme.
Judge Suzana Hussain meted out the fine on S.S. Vijaya Kumar, 47, after he pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of using a forged document as genuine.
According to the charge, Vijaya Kumar, who now works as an independent consultant, was accused of using a forged document, a MIDF payment voucher dated November 24, 2020 amounting to RM75,000, for the supply of hand sanitiser, when he had reason to believe the document was false.
The offence was committed at Mitra, National Unity Ministry, Lebuh Perdana Timur A, Federal Government Administration Centre, Putrajaya on July 2, 2021.
He was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code, which carries an imprisonment for up to two years or a fine or both, upon conviction.
Earlier during mitigation, Vijaya Kumar, who was unrepresented, said he regretted his action and that he cooperated with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission when he was in remand for six days.
“There were no financial transactions from the Mitra programme into my account and I have resigned from all positions at MIDF. I now work as an independent consultant and my income is not stable,” he added.
Deputy public prosecutor A. Kalaivani prosecuted.
According to the facts of the case, the accused had prepared a false supporting document, namely the MIDF payment voucher, in the final report to Mitra for the TAS-COVID programme expenditure, whereby investigation found that the company named in the payment voucher did not supply hand sanitiser for the programme. – Bernama, July 29, 2022
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