ALOR SETAR (Bernama): A contractor has been fined RM1.5mil by the Sessions Court here after pleading guilty to three counts of submitting false claims amounting to RM216,536 in 2014 and 2015.

       Sessions Judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad imposed the fine on Nazrul Idham Abu Nasir, 44, on Monday (Aug 16) for submitting the claims to the Centre for University-Industry Collaboration (CUIC) at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

       On the first count, Nazrul Idham was charged with using false documents, namely the "Borang Pesanan/Perkhidmatan” (request/service form) for the supply and provision of training packages for participants attending a programme organised by CUIC at Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, on Jan 21, 2014; and an invoice purportedly issued by Hatching Technology Sdn Bhd dated the same day, amounting to RM19,500, at CUIC, UUM, in Sintok on Jan 30, 2014.

       He was also charged with submitting a false document, namely an invoice issued by Hatching Technology Sdn Bhd dated March 3, 2015 for supply of training packages amounting to RM98,518, at a restaurant in front of UUM on March 10, 2015.

       The third charge was also for submitting a false document, involving an invoice by the same company and for the same value as in the second charge, on March 26, 2015, at CUIC, UUM.

       The charges were framed under Section 471 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine, or both upon conviction.

       He was fined RM500,000 on each count, in default 12 months’ jail.

       The prosecution was conducted by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Tan Sew Ping, while lawyer Evawani Farisyta Mohammad represented Nazrul Idham. – Bernama