KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 — A former director of an electrical repair company pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to charges of falsifying documents for a Social Security Organisation (Socso) wage subsidy programme application amounting to over RM80,000, four years ago.

Muhammad Asyraf Rizal, 26, is accused of knowingly submitting a false wage subsidy programme application form under the name of Maar Engineering Services for the amount of RM88,200 at the Employment Insurance Division, Perkeso, Putrajaya, on June 16, 2020.

He is charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Rais Adha Ramli offered bail at RM80,000 with one surety and an additional condition that the accused must report to the MACC office in Johor Bahru once a month until the case is concluded.

Muhammad Asyraf’s lawyer Siti Nabila Hamzah, appealed for a lower sum, citing that her client, who currently works as a technician in Singapore, is the sole breadwinner for his family and finances the medical expenses of his grandparents, who both have stage four lung cancer.

Judge Azrul Darus granted bail at RM15,000 with one surety, agreed to the additional condition, and set August 2 for the next case mention. — Bernama