KOTA KINABALU: A man was fined RM20,000 on Tuesday (Aug 21) by the Tawau Sessions Court after pleading guilty to having large consignments of petrol without any valid licence.
Sessions Court judge Ahmad Faizadh Yahaya handed the sentence to Abdullah Asadan, 26, after he pleaded guilty of having the 70 jerrycans containing 2,080 litres of the controlled item without the proper papers.
The accused was charged under Section 20(1) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961, which is punishable under Section 22(1) of the same Act, and read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code for a criminal act by several persons with common intention.
The prosecution was represented by Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry Semporna chief enforcement officer Dr Jong Jee Leong.
In a statement, Jong said the man was previously arrested by the police at the Singgah Mata waters near Pulau Bum-Bum off Semporna.
The man was then handed over to the ministry for further investigations, he added.
“During his arrest, the accused had the controlled item in a wooden boat and was suspected of attempting to transport the petrol to Sitangkai in the Philippines.
“He did not have any licence or approval pertaining to the petrol in his possession,” he said.
Jong explained that any individual found guilty under Section 22(1) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 could face a fine up to RM1mil or three years’ imprisonment, or both.
He added such persons could be further fined up to RM3mil or jailed a maximum of five years, or both, for the second and subsequent offences.
Jong added that businesses face a fine up to RM2mil and RM5mil for subsequent offences.
“We will not compromise with illegal activities that involve controlled goods and will continue to beef up enforcement to combat any misappropriation or leakages of subsidised items in the district,” Jong said.
