KUANTAN: A 58-year-old headmistress pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today for making a false claim to supply meals for a sports programme five years ago.
Lee Wai Teng from Raub, who was charged with one main charge and an alternative charge, claimed trial when both the charges were read before judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain.
The accused was charged with handing a document containing a food supply payment claim for a pre-school sports clinic programme dated Nov 21, 2017 to an administrative assistant.
She allegedly knew that the information on the claim document for the programme was false as it (supplying meals) never existed.
For the alternative charge, the accused was charged with allegedly submitting the food supply payment claim document as genuine despite having knowledge that it was a forged document.
The mother of two had allegedly committed the offence at SJK(C) Sungai Lui in Raub on Dec 6, 2017.
For the main charge, Lee was charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24 of the same act, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of five times the value of the offence committed or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Under the alternative charge, Lee could face a punishment under Section 471 of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 465 of the same act, which provides a jail term of up to two years or a fine or both, upon conviction.
MACC prosecuting officer Kamariah Seman proposed RM10,000 bail with one surety.
Counsel Chuah Shyue Chien, who represented Lee, said his client, who was still in service, had to support her children and elderly mother who is in her 90s.
"She has provided her cooperation to MACC since last year and attended court today when instructed by the agency so she has no risk of absconding. I plead for a minimum bail amount for my client," he said.
Ahmad Zamzani allowed bail at RM8,000 in one surety and set additional conditions for the accused to surrender her passport to the court, as well as to report to the Raub MACC office at the beginning of each month from September onwards.
The court set Sept 15 for mention.