19/06/2026

FRIDAY | JUNE 19, 2026

5

MACC eyeing 1,600 firms in Socso programme probe

Gardener faces murder charge

BATU GAJAH: A gardener was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday with the murder of a contract worker in Kampung Gajah last week. Mohammad Farizzal Fazly Mohd Zulkifly, 30, was brought before Magistrate Mohd Harith Mohd Mazlan, who fixed July 20 for mention. No plea was recorded as the offence falls under the jurisdiction of the High Court. He is accused of murdering Muhammad Fahmi Abdullah, 29, by the roadside along Jalan Utama, Jalan Trans Perak, in the Central Perak district between 4.30am and 5.49am on June 10. The charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the death penalty or imprisonment of up to 40 years and, if the death sentence is not imposed, no fewer than 12 strokes of the cane. Prosecuting officer Insp Jagdeep Singh Jaswant Singh appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was unrepresented. In a separate case, a salesman pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court in Shah Alam yesterday to attacking a motorcyclist with a meat cleaver on the Federal Highway last Thursday. Azmi Jantan, 42, entered the plea before Judge Datin Fatimah Zahari. He was charged with intentionally causing grievous hurt to Mohd Fairus Jaafar, 45, with a meat cleaver at Km14.6 along the motorcycle lane near Section 13 of the Federal Highway at 8.19am on June 11. The offence is punishable under Section 326 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, a fine or caning. DPP Ho Zee Xing proposed bail of RM30,000 in one surety and requested that the accused surrender his passport and report to a police station once a month. The unrepresented accused appealed for a lower bail amount of RM5,000, citing his responsibility to support his wife. The court granted bail of RM15,000 in one surety and ordered him to report monthly to a police station until the disposal of the case. It also set July 8 for the presentation of facts and sentencing. A video widely shared online showed a man being attacked with a meat cleaver along the Kuala Lumpur-bound motorcycle lane of the Federal Highway near Section 13, sustaining injuries to his head and arms. – Bernama MACC seeks restraining order on RM5.5b assets KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has fixed Aug 13 to hear an application by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to restrain Toh Puan Na’imah Abdul Khalid from managing offshore assets in Jersey, a British Crown territory, valued at US$157.5 million (RM667 million) and £85 million (RM4.9 billion). The application seeks to prohibit the widow of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, as well as any parties linked to her, from dealing with the assets. Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin set the hearing date during case management proceedings yesterday, attended by DPP Mahadi Abdul Jumaat and lawyer Muhammad Nizamuddin Abdul Hamid, who appeared for Na’imah, who was excused from attending the proceedings. According to court documents, the application was filed on June 25 last year after MACC alleged that the assets were acquired by Na’imah or individuals associated with her in Malaysia and had not been declared to the Inland Revenue Board. The application was made under Section 53 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA) following investigations under Section 113 of the Income Tax Act and Section 4(1) of the AMLATFPUAA. This is the third bid by the prosecution involving overseas assets, following earlier proceedings concerning assets in the United Kingdom and Singapore. – Bernama

o Anti-graft agency estimates losses of

persons with disabilities to channel payments to third parties. Investigations revealed that the alleged misappropriation took place between 2024 and 2025, during which several companies submitted false claims by declaring individuals who did not work for them to secure government hiring incentives. Meanwhile, Socso CEO Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said the agency had recovered RM1.26 million as of yesterday from employers who admitted making fraudulent claims under the Daya Kerjaya 2.0 programme. On June 9, MACC detained 73 individuals, comprising 48 men and 25 women aged in their 20s and 70s, who operated as agents and company owners across the country except Perlis, for their alleged involvement in a syndicate that submitted false Daya Kerjaya 2.0 claims involving about RM9 million. Initial investigations indicated the suspects operated by submitting fraudulent claims under a government employment incentive scheme that provided RM1,500 a month for six months for each employee hired by private companies and government-linked entities.

“We aim to complete the probe through close cooperation with Socso, not only at the headquarters but also at the state level. “Once investigations are completed, we will begin charging those involved,” he said at a special press conference yesterday. Op Daya, launched on June 9, is a joint operation between MACC and Socso to investigate the misappropriation of incentive claims under the Daya Kerjaya 2.0 programme, Bernama reported. As of last Tuesday, 63 investigation papers had been opened, resulting in the detention of 97 individuals, comprising 86 company owners and 11 agents assisting in the investigation. Of those detained, 77 have been remanded, while statements have been recorded from 577 individuals. During the operation, 36 corporate bank accounts containing RM463,076 were frozen, while movable assets, including gold, cash and other valuables worth an estimated RM74,198, were seized. According to Abd Halim, the fraudulent tactics involved misusing personal data for incentive claims, providing one-off token payments to employees after full claims had been made and exploiting the details of

PUTRAJAYA: Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) has identified 1,638 companies suspected of submitting false claims to obtain incentives under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) Daya Kerjaya 2.0 programme, involving estimated losses of RM45 million. MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abd Halim Aman said investigations are currently focused on 143 companies alleged to have submitted false claims involving about RM9 million, before expanding to the remaining firms identified through intelligence gathering and investigations. “There is no time limit for this investigation. We do not need to rush and we are not racing against time. RM45m as investigations widen into alleged false incentive claims The Malaysian

Abd Halim (centre) during the press conference yesterday that was also attended by Mohammed Azman (left). – BERNAMAPIC

PSM CEO claims trial to corruption charges KUALA LUMPUR: Perbadanan Stadium Malaysia (PSM) CEO claimed trial in the Sessions Court yesterday to seven corruption charges involving RM1.45 million linked to an RM8.7 million project to upgrade the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil. The charge was framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Mohd Yusoff represented the accused. Earlier, Noralis proposed bail of RM200,000 in one Malaysian surety, citing the seriousness of the offences and the position of the accused. She also requested that Iliyas surrender his travel documents, report to the MACC office once a month and refrain from interacting with prosecution witnesses. Mohd Yusmadi sought a lower bail of between RM50,000 and RM80,000, saying his client had been suspended from duty and had a schoolgoing child to support. Suzana set bail at RM100,000 in one surety and imposed the additional conditions requested by the prosecution, including a prohibition on contacting prosecution witnesses until the case is concluded. The court fixed July 27 for mention and document submission. – Bernama

Iliyas Jamil, 42, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Judge Suzana Hussin. Under the first charge, he is accused of soliciting RM1 million from Yap Yeow Kuen, 60, at the PSM office on Level 2 of Stadium Nasional, Kuala Lumpur Sports City, Sri Petaling, on Feb 24. The alleged bribe was purportedly sought in return for selecting Aerolux Power Constructions Sdn Bhd to secure the RM8,733,197 contract to upgrade courts and sports facilities at the National Squash Centre.

For the second to seventh charges, Iliyas is accused of receiving RM450,000 in cash from Yap as inducement for awarding the project to the same company. The offences were allegedly committed at the PSM office and a restaurant in Sri Petaling between Feb 25 and April 13. The charges were also framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1). DPP Noralis Mat appeared for the prosecution, while lawyer Mohd Yusmadi