Kota Kinabalu: A Deputy Director of Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) was charged with three counts of submitting false claims amounting to RM3,990.
Syahruddin Muhd Saleh, 40, pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court Judge Abu Bakar Manat, Friday, to three charges against him.
On the first to third counts, Syahruddin is accused of producing three claim documents which contained false details, namely receipts under The Mark’s Lodge dated June 13, 2014 amounting to RM2,000, 178-Advertising Sdn Bhd dated June 12, 2014 amounting to RM290 and Business Machines Service Centre dated June 11, 2014 amounting RM1,700.
The charges stated that the receipts were attached with the claims document dated July 24, 2014 with the title Reconciliation Of Expenses Incurred For “KDB With Parliament Beluran”, and the document was submitted to one Masnita Muad who was Deputy Director of the MCMC Finance Division.
The offence allegedly took place on July 24, 2014 at the MCMC office in Sandakan.
The offence, under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, provides imprisonment of up to 20 years and fine of up to five times the value of the false claims, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.
The court set Aug 16, this year for mention and Syahruddin was released on bail of RM10,000 with RM5,000 deposited in one local surety and to report to the MACC office once in two months, as well as his passport, if any, to be kept by the court until the disposal of his case.
In another case, an assistant director of MCMC also claimed trial to using and submitting false documents.
Sufri Hasan Mindar made the plea after the charges were read to him.
On the main charge, Sufri is accused of using a fake document which was the Cash/Invoice Golden Sound Production dated Dec 30, 2013 to claim the Memorandum Reconciliation of Expenses incurred for “Festival Begandang Beaufort 2013” amounting RM4,900 on Jan 6, 2014 at the Menara MAA of MCMC, here.
The offence, under Section 471 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 468 of the same Code, provides for a jail term of up to seven years and fine, on conviction.
On the alternative charge, he allegedly submitted a claim document dated Dec 30, 2013 with title Reconciliation Of Expenses Incurred For “Festival Begandang Beaufort 2013” amounting to RM4,900, and the document was submitted to one Nurul Azwa Md Ramli who was Assistant Director of the MCMC Finance Division.
The charge stated that the document containing false details claiming that Sufri had incurred expenses for sound system, platform, fans and the purchase of 20 hampers during the festival in which the supply was actually not implemented.
Sufri’s case would be mentioned on Aug 16, this year and he was offered bail at RM10,000 with RM4,000 deposited in one local surety and to report to the MACC office once in two months, as well as his passport, if any, to be kept by the court until the disposal of his case.
MACC Prosecuting Officer Rekraj Singh appeared for the prosecution while counsel Abdul Fikry Jaafar defended the duo.
