KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 —Seventeen individuals, including company directors and an actress, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Courts in Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Penang and Sabah today to charges linked to alleged false claims involving incentives under the Social Security Organisation’s (PERKESO) Daya Kerjaya 2.0 Programme.

The accused, comprising nine men and eight women, were charged separately over offences allegedly committed in 2024.

In Kuala Lumpur, actress Farah Wahida Zainuddin, 44, and Mohd Nizam Jamaluddin, 45, each faced four charges before Judge Suzana Hussin, while Lim Sue Peng and Lim Sian Tze, both 54, were charged before Judge Rosli Ahmad with five and eight counts respectively.

Farah Wahida, as director of Focal Reality Entertainment Sdn Bhd, was accused of submitting false Daya Kerjaya 2.0 Employee Verification Forms to support incentive claims at premises off Jalan Gombak on March 29 and 30, 2024, while Mohd Nizam was charged with abetting her.

Sue Peng, director of Zfinity, and Sian Tze, owner of LST Concept Marketing, were charged with similar offences allegedly committed between April 1 and Oct 2, 2024.

The four were granted bail ranging from RM6,000 to RM48,000, ordered to report monthly to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office, surrender their passports and return to court on Sept 21, Sept 25 and Oct 2.

In Perak, four company owners were charged at the Ipoh Sessions Court with a total of 29 counts allegedly committed between February and September 2024.

Assari Enterprise owner Chuah Hok Guan, 60, and AC Engineering owner Chiang Hon Wai, 44, each faced five charges, with Chuah accused of abetting Chiang. Chong Yee Hoe, 55, was charged with eight counts involving Hao Hao Lucky Trading, while Choo Lee Peng, 58, faced 11 charges linked to Million Software And Services Sdn Bhd and Million Goldrush Resources Sdn Bhd.

Judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi granted bail of between RM7,000 and RM9,000, ordered the accused to report to the nearest MACC office until the disposal of their cases, with Sept 14 set for mention.

In Penang, four business owners pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in George Town to a total of 30 charges allegedly committed in the North East district between March 1 and Aug 26, 2024.

Neoh Wooi Lee, 50, owner of Golden One Stop Services, D One Solution, As You Wish Enterprise and Syarikat Century SS Solution, faced 21 charges. Goh Chee Wai, 43, owner of Tojeda Enterprise Sdn Bhd, was charged with six counts, Wong Joon Hong, 40, owner of J.H Food Court, with two counts, and Phua Ai Ling, 45, owner of Great Solutions Management, with one count.

Judge Irwan Suainbon allowed bail of RM28,000 for Neoh and RM7,000 each for the other three accused. They were also ordered to surrender their passports, report monthly to the MACC and refrain from interfering with prosecution witnesses, with mention fixed for Sept 17.

Meanwhile, in Sabah,five individuals, including four company owners, pleaded not guilty at the Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court to a total of nine charges allegedly committed in Kota Kinabalu and Tuaran.

Marketing executive Foo Fong Kent, 31, faced three charges involving Infinity Profit Enterprise, while Hajah Yanong Enterprise owner Pausia Abu, 49, and Cyber Vision Enterprise owner Mohd Azhar Ramali, 39, each faced two charges.

Tasek Emas Enterprise owner Arzeanti Jafar, 40, and Afijay Bersatu owner Nur Farhanah Jamil, 38, each faced one charge over offences allegedly committed on Aug 6 and Aug 19, 2024, respectively.

Judge Andi Razalijaya A. Dadi granted bail of RM10,000 for Foo, Pausia and Mohd Azhar and RM8,000 each for Arzeanti and Nur Farhanah, before fixing Sept 14 for mention.

All the charges were framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the false particulars or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. — Bernama