Couple claims trial to over RM3.6 mil in false claims

New Straits Times

3 days ago

KOTA KINABALU: A couple was charged at the Special Corruption Court here with submitting false claims worth over RM3.6 million, involving the supply of machinery and certification under the Small and Medium Industry (SMI) Assistance Programme.
The claims were allegedly submitted to the Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR) in 2022 and 2023.
The accused, Ang Ka Fat @ Kenny, 57, and Anita Mohamed, 54, who are husband and wife, pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court judge Jason Juga.
Anita and Ang each face two separate charges and one joint charge.
On the first charge, Anita and Ang are accused of abetting a company manager in submitting a set of documents containing false particulars, namely claims for MeSTI and halal certification services in the food industry for entrepreneurs under the Sabah SMI Assistance Programme (BAIKS) 2022, including renovation work, worth RM500,000, although the services were never carried out.
On the second charge, both accused are alleged to have committed a similar offence by submitting a set of documents containing false particulars, namely claims for MeSTI, My Food Tag and halal certification under BAIKS 2023, including renovation work, worth RM2.7 million, which were also never carried out.
Both charges were under Section 28(1)(c) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. If convicted, the couple can be jailed up to 20 years imprisonment and fined.
For the joint charge, they are accused of jointly submitting an invoice from another company dated Nov 7, 2023, along with 13 supporting Delivery Order documents containing false particulars.
These involved claims for the supply of 11 units of 100-litre machine retorts, two units of 150-litre machine retorts, registration and approval from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DoSH), hydrostatic tests by DoSH, and premises registration for 13 units, worth RM414,400, none of which were carried out.
The pair was charged under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
The court fixed Sept 23 for pre-trial case management.
For the first and second charges, the court set bail at RM20,000 with a RM3,000 deposit and one local surety for each accused.
For the joint charge, bail was also set at RM20,000 with a RM3,000 deposit and one local surety.
The court also imposed additional conditions, including reporting to the MACC office every two months, surrendering passports, and refraining from contacting prosecution witnesses pending the conclusion of the case. Failure to comply with the conditions may result in bail being revoked.
MACC prosecuting officer Dzulkarnain Rousan Hasbi, standing in for Deputy Public Prosecutor Rustam Sanim, prosecuted the case.