Socso has tightened monitoring of PenjanaKerjaya to curb abuse, says CEO

KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has taken strict measures to ensure there is no further misappropriation of Hiring Incentive Programme (PenjanaKerjaya) funds.

Its chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said Socso was continuously monitoring all data generated through PenjanaKerjaya.

“We also filter all documents, make random call checks on those offering jobs, gather intelligence from time to time, and make surprise visits.

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“We will not compromise. (Any) information (on misappropriation) will be chanelled to the authorities for action.

“There are those who found loopholes to manipulate the system (and make their efforts) seem genuine. On paper everything looks complete (but) on the ground... there are abuses taking place,” he told the press here on Friday (July 29).

Mohammed Azman was responding to questions about RM423mil in alleged misappropriation and false claims involving employers and training providers of PenjanaKerjaya, which had led Socso to suspend payments involved in the programme.

He added that less than 1% of those involved had taken advantage of the programme for dishonest ends.

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Mohammed Azman said Socso had disbursed RM2.34bil to 45,379 employers to hire 327,789 jobseekers under PenjanaKerjaya.

Some 66 companies were reported to have abused the claims under PenjanaKerjaya.

Earlier, Mohammed Azman said Sosco was confident of fulfilling the government’s mandate to provide 55,000 job opportunities to vulnerable groups through the extension of the JaminKerja-Wage Incentive (JKIP) job placement initiative.

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“The continuation of this programme will focus on recruitment efforts from the tourism sector, replacement of foreign workers, (hiring of) persons with disabilities, and (placing) workers who lost their jobs.

“With the existing RM2bil JKIP JKIP allocation, RM475mil be used as an incentive for employers to create 55,000 job opportunities for these vulnerable groups,” he said.

JKIP has been extended until Dec 31 with the same application conditions and incentive rates for employers as well mobility assistance for hired workers as before.