KUALA LUMPUR: A former director of the Malaysian Intellect Development Foundation (MIDF) was fined RM85,000, in default six months' jail, by the Sessions Court here today for falsifying payment vouchers on expenditure by the Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra) funds for Tamil Schools Post-Covid-19 Assistance (TAS-COVID) programme.
Judge Suzana Hussain meted out the fine on S. S. Vijaya Kumar, 47, after he pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of using as genuine a forged document.
According to the charge, Vijaya Kumar, who now works as an independent consultant, was accused of using a forged document -- an MIDF payment voucher dated Nov 24, 2020, amounting to RM75,000 for supply of hand sanitiser -- as genuine.
The offence was committed at Mitra, the National Unity Ministry, Lebuh Perdana Timur A, Federal Government Administration Centre, Putrajaya on July 2, 2021.
He was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code, which carries an imprisonment for up to two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Earlier, during mitigation, Vijaya Kumar, unrepresented, said he regretted his action and that he cooperated with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission when he was in remand for six days.
"There was no financial transactions from the Mitra programme into my account and I have resigned from all positions at MIDF. Now I work as an independent consultant and my income is not stable," he added.
Deputy public prosecutor A. Kalaivani prosecuted.
According to the facts of the case, the accused had prepared a false supporting document, namely the MIDF payment voucher, in the final report to Mitra for the TAS-COVID programme expenditure.
It was later discovered that the company named in the payment voucher did not supply hand sanitiser for the programme. – BERNAMA