PETALING JAYA: A mining company which had a dancer performing provocatively during its staff dinner in Kelantan has been fined RM10,000 by the local authorities, says a state exco member.
Local government, housing, health and environment chairman Hilmi Abdullah said that the company paid the fine to the Tanah Merah district council.
He added that the company also sent an apology letter to both the state government and the local authorities for violating Section 6 of the Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Control Enactment 1998.
“The company has signed an undertaking with the local council to consult the authorities prior to any event that it wants to hold in the future,” he said, reported Sinchew Daily on Tuesday.
Hilmi also said the fine will be increased to RM50,000 on Jan 1, 2025 when the Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment Bill 2024 is passed and enforced.
He advised organisers planning for entertainment events to submit their applications early to the relevant authorities for inspections to avoid future complications.On Dec 21, a videoclip which showed a scantily-clad woman performing a belly dance at a company dinner held in the hall of a Chinese vernacular school went viral on social media.
Subsequently, an investigation was launched by the Tanah Merah district council.
A probe was also carried out on the school management as the event was held at its hall.
The next day, Hilmi was reported as saying that the organisers and school management had violated Section 6 of the enactment, which carries a maximum fine of RM20,000 or five years imprisonment or both.
He added that most of the attendees were miners from China who worked at the Sokor gold mine in Tanah Merah, while the rest comprised company staff and guests from other states.
However, among the guests were local Muslim residents who are employed by the company, he said. He said checks showed that the organisers did not apply for a permit for the event.
It was regrettable that the organisers allowed such form of entertainment and the use of a school hall for the event, he added.
