KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — A businessman and a former owner of a computer software company were fined a total of RM230,000 after pleading guilty in the Sessions Court here to charges of making false claims for employment incentives under the Penjana Kerjaya programme.

Judge Azura Alwi fined businessman G. Dharmaseelan, 31, RM180,000, in default 20 months in jail, while Mohd Hamdi Mohamed Zain, 44, was fined RM50,000, in default 10 months in prison.

Dharmaseelan, 31, was charged with deceiving a senior accountant at the finance division of the Social Security Organisation (Socso), Rahil Sapura Mustafa into believing that he had submitted the Employee Verification Form for the Employment Incentive Programme for 60 employees of his company, GSD Resources, when in fact they were not.

This resulted in the Socso officer approving a payment voucher dated November 10, 2021, amounting to RM86,240 into the bank account of GSD Resources, which she would not have done if she had not been deceived by him.

The offence, under Section 417 of the Penal Code, was committed at Menara di Menara Perkeso, Jalan Ampang here on November 10, 2021.

Mohd Hamdi was charged with using a false document, which is an employee verification form in the name of his company, Synergy Communication Technology Sdn Bhd (SCTSB), for the Employment Incentive Programme amounting to RM45,600 under the Penjana Kerjaya programme.

In doing so, he deceived Socso officer Mira Sabriena Romain.

He was charged with committing the offence at Wisma Perkeso, Jalan Tun Razak here on March 31, 2021.

The charge, under Section 471 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 465 of the same code, carries a maximum prison sentence of two years or a fine or both, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Julaila Jamaludin and prosecuting officer Afiqah Ab Razak, both from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuted, while lawyer T.P. Aravind Raj represented Dharmaseelan.

Mohd Hamdi was unrepresented. — Bernama