PASIR MAS: The Magistrate’s Court here has imposed a fine of RM4,000 each on three locals after they pleaded guilty to entering Malaysia from Thailand through an illegal route.
The three individuals, comprising boat passengers Lim Wu Han, 34, and married couple Rajmidi Sahli, 50, and Nursyuhada Abdullah, 29, entered their guilty plea after the charges were read before Magistrate Mohd Izdham Naim Che Ani yesterday.
They were accused of entering Malaysia at the Sungai Pengkalan Haram Jambu bank in Rantau Panjang using an unauthorised route at 1.30pm on Jan 3, Bernama reported.
The facts of the case revealed that General Operations Force officers were conducting surveillance in the Pengkalan Haram Jambu area when they saw the three accused disembark from a boat that was from Thailand.
Initial investigations revealed that all three accused were Malaysian citizens with valid identification cards.
They were charged under Section 5(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155), which carries a fine of up to RM10,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Syazalia Che Suhaimin prosecuted, while the accused were represented by lawyer Nabila Mohd Noordin from the National Legal Aid Foundation.
Syazalia requested a penalty that would serve as a fair punishment and lesson for the accused.
However, Nabila requested the lowest possible fine, citing Lim’s employment as a shop assistant, Rajmidi as a site supervisor and Nursyuhada as a housewife.
The court imposed a fine of RM4,000 each, with one month’s imprisonment in default if they fail to settle it.
