JOHOR BARU: A local council valuation officer has been charged at the Sessions Court here with 24 counts of submitting false overtime claims during the 15th General Election (GE15) period.
Labis District Council valuation officer Muhammad Fakhrurazie Abd Razak, 32, pleaded not guilty to using the names of eight individuals to make false claims totalling RM17,548.80 from October to December 2022.
According to the charge sheet, he allegedly committed the acts at the council office’s valuation and property management unit in Segamat, where he filed the overtime claims for GE15 duty for September until November without the knowledge of the individuals involved.
He was charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(2).
The offence carries a jail term of up to 20 years, and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the false claims or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
MACC prosecuting officer Muhd Faizul Kamaro Zaman told the court that the offence was non-bailable.
However, Fakhrurazie’s counsel T. Vijaya Sandran asked for bail of RM7,000, adding that the accused is not a flight risk.
“He has been working at the council for three years with a monthly salary of RM4,000.
“He is also expecting his first child. I request that the court allow bail of RM7,000 (as) that is all the money he brought today,” he said.
Sessions judge Ahmad Kamal Ariffiin Ismail granted bail at RM10,000 with one surety and told the accused to report to the Segamat MACC office monthly.
