KOTA KINABALU: A deputy director of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has claimed trial to three counts of alleged false claims for an event in Sabah more than seven years ago.

       Mohd Daffy Liamin, 37, who was attached to the Beaufort division of the MCMC, was accused of falsifying claims amounting to RM9,000 in three transactions for a nonexistent boat rental fee in 2013.

       In the first charge, he was accused of handing over a claim sheet which included a RM1,000 boat rental fee for the "Himpunan Kasih Sayang peringkat Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan 2013" programme.

       The claims filed on March 7, 2013, were allegedly for expenses incurred on Jan 12 that year.

       In the second and third charges, he was accused of filing two claims, each amounting to RM4,000, for special boat rentals for different routes respectively, on the same date for the same travel date of Jan 12, 2013.

       Mohd Daffy pleaded not guilty to the charges read to him at the Special Corruption Court in Kota Kinabalu on Thursday (Sept 23) before judge Abu Bakar Manat.

       The judge allowed the accused bail of RM10,000 with one surety and ordered him to surrender his passport to the court via his lawyer by or before Oct 8.

       As Mohd Daffy is now attached with the MCMC division in Negri Sembilan, he will be asked to report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office there once every two months.

       He was also instructed not to disturb or tamper with any witnesses in the case.

       His pre-trial case management has been set for Nov 12.

       In another case, an assistant engineer for the state Drainage and Irrigation Department has been accused of obtaining a bribe amounting to RM1,838 on March 17, 2017, from a private company as an inducement to allow it to supply goods for a programme that year.

       The programme, H20 Run, was organised by the department then.

       Nurul Syazwanie Idris, 31, pleaded not guilty to the charge before Abu Bakar.

       She was allowed RM6,000 bail with one surety and required to report herself to the MACC office here once every two months.

       She was also ordered to surrender her international passport to the court.

       Pre-trial case management was set for Nov 12.