PETALING JAYA: A proprietor of a petrol station has been fined RM100,000 by the Sessions Court here for allowing the sale of diesel in barrels, which is not allowed under the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974.
Judge Azrul Darus meted out the fine against Abdul Wahab Jaafar, 72, after he changed his plea to guilty when the case came up for mention yesterday.
Abdul Wahab, as the joint owner of the gas station KA Surijaya Enterprise, was charged with failing to comply with the Control of Supplies Act by selling diesel in barrels to Yau Poh Trading Sdn Bhd and laden onto two lorries, each carrying 1,140 litres and 1,080 litres, respectively.
The 72-year-old proprietor was charged under Section 22(1) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 which provides a maximum fine of RM1mil or imprisonment of three years or both.
Deputy public prosecutor from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, Suhana Mohd, requested a heavy sentence as a lesson to the accused taking into account the subsidy leakage factor, which resulted in the government suffering huge losses because aid to the people was misappropriated by irresponsible parties, reported Bernama.
“The government spends billions of ringgit every year on fuel subsidies and his actions have caused damage to the country’s economic landscape in addition to causing insecurity in the supply of diesel fuel in the country.
“The offence committed by him is serious and I ask for a severe punishment in the form of deterrence against the accused,” he said.
