Company owner charged over false RM275,000 wage subsidy claim

GEORGE TOWN: A construction company owner was charged with submitting false information to the Social Security Organisation (Socso) in a 2022 targeted wage subsidy claim.

Muhammad Ra'abilshah Samzali, 42, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before Sessions Court Judge Irwan Suainbon.

He is accused of submitting a document titled "SIP Subsidi Upah Bersasar 5.0", containing a list of workers purportedly employed by MRSJ Builders Sdn Bhd, to a Socso agent from the Employment Insurance Division in Putrajaya.

The document allegedly contained false particulars as the workers listed were not employees of the company and was intended to deceive the Socso agent.

He is alleged to have submitted claims totalling RM275,400 involving 163 workers.

The offence was allegedly committed at the MRSJ Builders office in Jalan Sungai Dua, Gelugor, on Feb 14, 2022.

The charge was framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (Act 694), punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act.

If convicted, Ra'abilshah faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of not less than five times the value of the false particulars, if monetarily quantifiable, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurnajihatul Idayu Mohd Azuyar, appearing for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), proposed bail of RM10,000 with an additional condition that Ra'abilshah report to the nearest MACC office once a month.

"I also applied for the accused's passport to be surrendered to the court, but I was informed that it is already with the court following his previous charge," she said.

Lawyer Muhammad Arif Shaharuddin, representing Ra'abilshah, appealed for minimum bail, saying his client is a businessman earning between RM7,000 and RM10,000 a month.

"He supports his wife and three children, aged between one and eight.

"He has also cooperated with the MACC throughout the investigation and was at the MACC office yesterday in preparation for today's proceedings," he said.

Arif also submitted that bail was not intended as punishment but to ensure the accused's attendance in court.

Irwan subsequently allowed bail of RM5,000 with the additional condition sought by the prosecution.