COMPANY DIRECTOR CLAIMS TRIAL TO IMPORTING PROHIBITED GOODS

BUTTERWORTH, March 4 (Bernama) -- A company director who operates a vehicle assembly plant pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to a charge of importing prohibited goods in 2024.

Kan Keat Peng, 58, director of BKCV Sdn Bhd, who was jointly charged with two others, is accused of importing 10 Completely Knocked Down (CKD) sets of RY6600 Mini Van valued at RM832,306 in several containers, which are prohibited imports under Item 3, Part I, Schedule II of the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2023.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Customs Inspection Bay, North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) here at 10.30 am on Sept 4, 2024.

The charge, framed under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 and punishable under Section 135(1)(ii)(aa) of the same Act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, provides a maximum fine of RM16.647 million or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, upon conviction.

Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) prosecuting officer A. Uvarajan offered bail at RM50,000 with one surety and an additional condition that the accused surrender his passport to the court.

However, counsel Zunurajriya Muhamad Zukri applied for bail to be reduced to RM10,000, saying his client is married with two children and that his business has been affected by the case.

Judge Roslan Hamid allowed the accused bail of RM30,000 with the additional condition requested by the prosecution.

In the same court, Kan also pleaded not guilty to another charge of making a false declaration together with the two other accused.

He was accused of declaring tariff code 8702.10.5000 for CKD when the goods were actually completely built-up (CBU) vehicles with tariff code 8702.10.9900 in the Customs Form at the NBCT here on Aug 29, 2024.

The charge was brought under Section 133(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 and punishable under Section 133(1) of the same Act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a fine of up to RM500,000 or imprisonment for a maximum of seven years, or both, upon conviction.

The prosecution and defence maintained the same bail proposal and mitigation as in the first charge, and the court allowed bail of RM20,000 with the additional condition that the accused surrender his passport.

The court then fixed April 30 for document submission, further mention of the case and the attendance of the two other accused, who were absent today due to influenza.

-- BERNAMA