SEREMBAN: Five people, including a married couple, claimed trial in the Sessions Court here to charges related to the submission of fraudulent claims under the Social Security Organisation’s (PERKESO) Daya Kerjaya 2.0 incentive programme.
Business owners S. Gunaseelan, 45, Yeong Chee Keong, 46, and G. Mageswary, 38, claimed trial to their respective charges after they were read out separately before judge Shahrul Rizal Majid.
Two others – S. Shisman and S. Theen Malar, both 45 – also pleaded not guilty to charges of abetting Gunaseelan in committing the alleged offences.
Gunaseelan was charged with committing the offence on March 11, 2024.
He had allegedly given a PERKESO agent a Borang Pengesahan Pekerja Daya Kerja 2.0 document to claim for an incentive when he knew the contents were false.
Gunaseelan was charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for intending to deceive a principal using false or misleading claims, which is punishable under Section 24(2) of the same legislation.
Offenders can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined not less than five times the sum or value of the false claim involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
His wife Theen Malar and Shisman, who allegedly abetted him, were charged under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act read together with Section 18 and which was punishable under Section 24(2) of the same legislation. Offenders can be jailed up to 20 years and fined not less than five times the amount involved or RM10,000.
Yeong was slapped with four charges of trying to deceive PERKESO. He allegedly committed two offences on March 16, 2024, and another two on April 15 the same year.
Mageswary was charged with two counts of providing false information to the organisation.
She allegedly committed the offences on March 20.
Both Yeong and Mageswary were also charged under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(2) of the same legislation.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Syairah Aqilah Khalil then offered Gunaseelan, Shisman, Yeong and Mageswary bail of RM15,000 for each offence and to report at the commission’s office once a month until their cases are disposed of.
She also offered Theen Malar a RM12,000 bail.
All five pleaded for a lower amount as they either had commitments or did not have the means to raise the amount.
The court set bail at RM12,000 for Gunaseelan and Shisman, Yeong (RM40,000) and Mageswary (RM16,000). Theen Malar was offered bail of RM10,000.
The court fixed Sept 7 for mention to allow the accused to appoint counsel.
