TWO businessmen were charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court today with submitting false documents to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to claim incentives under the Penjana Kerjaya 2.0 and 3.0 programmes amounting to more than RM750,000.

They are Bmine Enterprise manager Muhammad Asyraf Omar, 31, who pleaded not guilty to one count, and RR Sinergi Enterprise owner Muhammad Aliff Abdul Rashid, 36, who claimed trial to six counts of the offence before judge Rozilah Salleh.

Asyraf is alleged to have submitted false documents in the employee verification form dated May 20, 2021, in the name of Bmine Enterprise to a Socso officer for incentives amounting to RM42,000 under the programme.

Aliff is accused of committing a similar offence using the name Perusahaan RR Sinergi Enterprise dated May 20, May 21 and September 4, 2021 at a Socso office to claim incentives totalling RM714,180.

The two were charged with intending to deceive Socso by submitting documents containing false statements in the verification forms as the employees named in the documents were not their companies’ staff.

Asyraf is alleged to have committed the act at Wisma Perkeso in Petaling Jaya on March 22, 2021 and Aliff, similarly, at the Perkeso office in Rawang on June 12 and September 14, 2021.

The charges framed under section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act and punishable under section 24(2), which carry imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the false claim or RM10,000, whichever is higher, on conviction.

MACC deputy public prosecutor Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin requested Asyraf to be given bail at RM10,000 in one surety and Aliff at RM50,000 in one surety and a condition for them to report to the nearest MACC office once a month pending disposal of their cases.

Asyraf, who was unrepresented, pleaded for lower bail on the grounds that he is the breadwinner and has been charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on similar charges while Muhammad Aliff, represented by lawyer Ahmad Naqib Azhar, requested lower bail on the grounds that he had cooperated with MACC during the investigation.

Rozilah allowed Asyraf bail of RM5,000 in one surety while Aliff was released on RM50,000 bail in one surety and additional conditions as requested by the prosecution.

The court set February 13 and 27 respectively for mention of their cases. – Bernama, January 12, 2023.