KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Five employees of a cooking oil supply company pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court today to possessing 10,502 kg of cooking oil, a controlled item, without a valid licence on Friday (March 6).
Local man Muhammad Akmal Daud, 31; Indonesian Alif Kurniawan, 24; and Bangladeshi nationals — Mohimelun Shekh, 28; Moniruzzaman, 29; and Md Mamun Hossen, 23 — were alleged to have committed the offence at a premises in the Bukit OUG Industrial Park at 12.30am on March 6.
They were charged with possessing the cooking oil in circumstances that raised reasonable suspicion of dealing in the scheduled item at the retail or wholesale level without a licence, an offence under Regulation 3(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974.
The charge was framed under Regulation 21(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974, read together with Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and Section 34 of the Penal Code.
If convicted, they face a fine of up to RM1 million or imprisonment of up to three years, or both. For a second or subsequent offence, the penalty is a fine of up to RM3 million or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry's (KPDN) prosecuting officer K. Selvarajoo proposed bail of RM40,000 with one surety for Akmal, while no bail was offered for the four foreign nationals.
However, he said that if the court exercised its discretion to grant bail to the foreigners, the prosecution proposed RM50,000 bail with one surety each.
“The quantity of cooking oil involved is high at 10,502kg with a value of RM29,335.60. The case also involves public interest as it concerns leakage of subsidised cooking oil meant for consumers,” Selvarajoo said.
Lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz, representing all the accused, requested lower bail on the grounds that they earned low incomes and were merely employees receiving minimum wages.
Judge Siti Shakirah Mohtaruddin granted bail to Akmal in the amount of RM10,000 with one surety, while the four foreign nationals were each granted bail of RM10,000 with two sureties.
The court also ordered the passports of all the accused to be surrendered until the case is concluded and fixed April 13 for mention.
