KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 — Three business owners claimed trial to submitting false documents to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to claim hiring incentives under the Penjana Kerjaya Programme 2.0 amounting to RM123,100.
All three accused were charged in separate courtrooms before Sessions Court judges Azura Alwi, Rozina Ayob and Suzana Hussin.
Isa Legacy proprietor Isa Mohd Ismail was charged with one count of allegedly submitting the Hiring Incentive Programme employee verification form dated June 29, 2021 to Socso through a third party to claim incentives under the programme totalling RM51,000 to deceive the body, when in fact the document listed names of individuals who were not new employees of the company.
Aida Hani Enterprise proprietor Mazlina Ali was charged with one count of allegedly submitting the Hiring Incentive Programme employee verification form dated March 9, 2021 to Socso through a third party to claim incentives under the programme totalling RM3,600 to deceive the body.
The third accused, Mikel Enterprise and Translimit Industries proprietor Mohamad Mohamed Alamin was charged with two counts of allegedly submitting the Hiring Incentive Programme employee verification form dated March 25 and May 12, 2021 respectively to Socso through a third party to claim incentives under the programme totalling RM68,500 to deceive the body.
The offences were allegedly committed by Mazlina at Wisma Perkeso on Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur on March 9, 2021; Mohamed at Wisma Perkeso on March 25 and May 29 the same year at Menara Perkeso Putrajaya; and Isa at Menara Perkeso Putrajaya on June 29, 2021.
The charges were framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act, which carries a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the false information or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The court granted bail of RM5,000 to Mazlina and Isa with one surety, while Mohamed was allowed to post RM12,000 bail, also with one surety.
The three accused were also ordered to report to the nearest MACC office every month until the disposal of their cases.
The court fixed February 14 as the next mention date.
Introduced under the Budget 2021 under then prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the hiring programme is an enhanced version of the previous hiring and training programme under Socso, which promotes the creation of quality jobs and reduces unemployment among Malaysians.
Yesterday, three other individuals were similarly charged in court with submitting RM190,700 in false claims over the hiring incentive programme.
Last July, MACC had announced the remand of individuals to assist in the investigation into allegations of false claims and misappropriation of the PenjanaKerjaya funds amounting to RM100 million.
The individuals, comprising company owners, directors, managers, shareholders, engineers and executives, were detained in an operation dubbed Op Hire, conducted in collaboration with Socso.
