A CANDIDATE for the Jelapang seat in the general election (GE) was charged at the Taiping magistrate’s court today with 77 counts of cheating in the sale of land and houses that do not exist, involving RM350,000 in losses.

Hamidah Muhamad, 47, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before magistrates R. Prabakaran and Nur Atiqah Sapari in two separate courtrooms.

The housewife was charged with deceiving four individuals between 2021 and 2022 by offering to sell a plot of land in Pokok Assam and a house with the intent of dishonestly inducing the victims to deposit money into her account.

The charges, framed under section 420 of the penal code for cheating, carry a maximum of 10 years’ jail, whipping and a fine upon conviction.

Prosecuting officer Khoo Kian Peng and deputy public prosecutor Nur Amalina Harun appeared for the prosecution, while Hamidah was represented by lawyer S. Singaradivel.

Khoo and Nur Amalina asked that no bail be offered to the accused as the offences had resulted in huge losses.

But Singaradivel appealed that the accused be granted bail on grounds that she is suffering from brain and bone cancer and has to take 32 pills a day.

The court set bail at RM24,000 with two sureties for all charges and ordered the accused to surrender her passport until the disposal of the case.

The case has been set for mention on July 31.

In the GE, Hamidah of Makkal Sakti contested the Jelapang seat on a Barisan Nasional ticket in a three-cornered fight against Cheah Pou Hian from Pakatan Harapan and S. Navinten from Perikatan Nasional. 

Cheah won the seat with 21,554 votes, while Hamidah only received 1,443 votes. – Bernama, June 23, 2023.