MELAKA – Three individuals pleaded not guilty at the Ayer Keroh sessions court here today to charges of submitting false documents to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to claim incentives under PenjanaKerjaya 2.0 amounting to a total of RM136,100.
The first accused, businesswoman Marzila Daud, 46, is alleged to have submitted documents containing false information in the employee verification form for the Employee Recruitment Incentive Programme, under the name “Ainnas Sweet Home Bakery”, to claim incentives amounting to RM50,000, using names of employees not employed by the bakery.
The offence was allegedly committed at Wisma Perkeso, Jalan Persekutuan, Melaka International Trade Centre, Hang Tuah Jaya, Ayer Keroh on March 8, 2021.
The other accused are Siti Nor Sofwah Ahmad, 26, a staff of the Islamic religious office, and businessman Nick Farhan Zakiran Mahadi, 30.
They were charged with committing similar offences by submitting claims for incentives amounting to RM41,000 and RM45,000, respectively, at the same place.
Siti Nor Sofwah allegedly submitted the claim on behalf of Nor Sofwah Tea on March 23, 2021, while Nick Farhan Zakiran submitted the claim on behalf of NFZ Engineering on April 16, 2021.
The three were charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 (2) of the same law, which provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the value of the subject matter of the offence or RM10,000 whichever is higher, if convicted.
Judge Elesabet Paya Wan allowed Marzila bail of RM15,000, while bail for Siti Nor Safwa and Nick Farhan Zakiran was set at RM12,000 each.
They were also ordered to surrender their passports to the court and report themselves at the Melaka MACC office once a month.
She also set February 16 for mention.
Deputy public prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong prosecuted, while lawyers Hafizah Sani and Lim Kah Ee represented Marzila and Siti Nor Sofwa, respectively.
Nick Farhan Zakiran was unrepresented. – Bernama, January 20, 2023
