KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — The founder of a childcare centre chain and two of her branch operators pleaded not guilty in separate Magistrate’s Courts today to charges of operating unregistered nurseries two months ago.
The founder, Datin Nor Fadilah Alias, 36, and the two operators, Nurul Aina Zulkifli, 34, and Nurkhairunnisa Badrillah, 32, recorded their pleas after the charges were read out before Magistrates Aina Azahra Arifin, Khairunnisak Hasni, and Atiqah Mohamed @ Mohamad Saim.
According to the charges, Fadilah and Aina are accused of jointly operating a childcare centre not registered under the provisions of the Child Care Centre Act 1984 at a premises in Taman Danau Desa at 3.25pm on January 9.
Fadilah also faces a similar charge alongside Nurkhairunnisa involving a nursery at Jalan Alam Sutera, Cheras, at 10.15am on February 5.
The charges were framed under Section 6(1) of the Child Care Centre Act 1984, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum fine of RM10,000, imprisonment for up to two years, or both upon conviction.
Fadilah was also charged with another identical offence at a nursery in Sri Rampai Business Park, Medan Niaga Rampai, on February 5, under the same section.
The courts allowed her bail of RM9,000 with one surety for all charges, while Aina and Nurkhairunnisa were granted bail of RM2,500 and RM3,500, respectively, each with one surety.
The courts fixed June 15 for mention of all cases.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Hench Goh, Nurainizatul Farhana Zainal, and Nuriwanina Ibrahim appeared for the prosecution, while all the accused were represented by counsel Syed Adam Al-Aqib Syed Mohammad Redza.
On Wednesday (April 22), Fadilah had pleaded not guilty in the Shah Alam Magistrate’s Court to two charges of operating nurseries without a valid certificate of registration from the Social Welfare Department's Director-General.
