A Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP) staff member was brought before the Sessions Court today to face 16 charges of dishonestly misappropriating property belonging to the East Kota Tinggi Area Farmers’ Organisation (PPK). Muhammad Faiz Ibrahim, 36, pleaded not guilty to all charges after they were read out before Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail. The accused is alleged to have misused funds totalling RM141,872.67 derived from the sale of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) over a period of approximately five years.
According to the charge sheets, Muhammad Faiz, who served as an Assistant Economic Affairs Officer and Manager of the East Kota Tinggi PPK Estate, allegedly converted the proceeds from the palm oil sales for his personal use. These acts were reportedly committed at the East Kota Tinggi PPK Office located at the Farmers’ Development Centre in Mawai Baru, Kota Tinggi. The offences are said to have taken place between 26 April 2021 and 15 November 2022, involving multiple transactions that diverted the organisation’s revenue into his own possession.
The primary charges were framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which pertains to the dishonest misappropriation of property. If convicted, the accused faces a maximum prison sentence of five years, along with caning and a fine. During the same proceedings, the court also recorded a plea of not guilty for 16 alternative charges involving criminal breach of trust (CBT). Under these alternative counts, the accused is alleged to have sold the entrusted FFB and deposited the resulting income directly into his personal bank account.
For the alternative charges, the prosecution cited Section 406 of the Penal Code, which carries a more severe penalty of up to 10 years in prison, caning, and a mandatory fine upon conviction. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Prosecuting Officer Alice Voon Mei Ling initially proposed a bail amount of RM25,000. However, defence counsel Asiah Abd Jalil appealed for a lower sum, highlighting that her client has been with the LPP since 2011 and currently earns a monthly salary of RM4,000 while supporting his elderly parents.
After considering the arguments, Judge Ahmad Kamal allowed the accused to be released on a RM10,000 bail with one surety. The court further ordered Muhammad Faiz to continue his cooperation with the authorities as the legal process unfolds. The case has been scheduled for mention on 30 April for the formal submission of documents. This prosecution marks another significant move by the MACC to address financial irregularities and maintain integrity within regional agricultural organisations.
