Roti Warisan Enterprise owner Asmida Shahfika Abdul Rahman, 25,  Zaharain Enterprise manager Nurul Ain Shamsudin, 30, and Rizky H&I Global manager Hafizi Ab Jamal, also 30, made the plea before judge Elesabet Paya Wan.

Nurul Ain was charged with committing the offence through one Fauzi Abdul Latif by submitting claims that contained false information amounting to RM35,900 to a Socso officer.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Melaka Socso office at Jalan Persekutuan MITC in Ayer Keroh on June 3, 2021.

Asmida was charged with a similar offence by submitting false claims amounting to RM36,900 at the same place on May 19, 2021.

Hafizi was charged with two counts of committing a similar offence, involving claims amounting to RM54,100 and RM20,500, at the same place on May 26, 2021 and June 18, 2021, respectively.

They were alleged to have submitted the names of workers who were not under their employment.

The charges were framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 (2) of the same law which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the value of the claims or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.

Elesabet allowed Nurul Ain and Asmida bail of RM8,000 each, and Haifizi bail of RM20,000. She also ordered them to surrender their passports to the court and report themselves to the nearest MACC office on the first week of every month.

The court set Feb 16 for mention of their cases.

MACC prosecuting officers Ikhwan Zaudi Nordin and Yasri Yahya prosecuted, while Nurul Ain and Asmida were represented by lawyer Haifzah San. Hafizi was unrepresented.