Directors among 37 remanded over PenjanaKerjaya programme fake claims

PUTRAJAYA: The anti-graft agency has remanded 37 individuals as it launches a probe on alleged false claims and misappropriation of funds, believed to be amounting to RM100mil under the PenjanaKerjaya programme.

The suspects were remanded in Putrajaya, Selangor, Johor, Kedah, Pahang, Perak, Penang, Melaka, Perlis, Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan.

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It is learnt that 11 individuals whose remand orders were obtained from the Magistrate’s Court here would be remanded for four days until July 17.

In Selangor, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) obtained a three-day remand order against five individuals while in Johor, three suspects were remanded.

Two individuals were arrested in Pahang and Perak respectively while one was nabbed in Kedah.

The MACC also obtained a remand order for two individuals in Penang, Melaka and Perlis respectively, three in Kuala Lumpur and four in Negri Sembilan.

The suspects - 26 men and 11 women - are aged between 28 and 70.

It is believed that among them are owners, directors, managers and shareholders of companies.

Sources with knowledge of the case said to date, the special operations conducted by the MACC and Social Security Organisation (Socso) saw 67 companies being investigated and 36 accounts with RM7mil frozen.

MACC senior director of investigations Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hashim confirmed the arrest.

On Wednesday (July 13), the MACC announced that it had launched an operation to investigate allegations of false claims and misappropriation of incentives under the PenjanaKerjaya.

Code-named Ops Hire, the operation is being conducted simultaneously nationwide.

PenjanaKerjaya was announced by then prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin under the National Economic Recovery Plan, offering financial incentives of between RM600 and RM1,000 to employers for each employee or apprentice employed for up to six months.