Director fined for unauthorised distribution of subsidised diesel
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN)'s Johor director Lilis Saslinda Pornomo said Ong Kong Hong, 45, was brought to court on Monday (June 30), where he made the plea.
'He was charged for possessing about 46,000 litres of diesel worth RM115,000.
'The activities were uncovered when a KPDN enforcement team raided his toxic waste management company in Masai at around 12pm on April 17, 2022, upon receiving information from the police,' she said in a statement on Tuesday (July 1).
The offence was framed under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
Lilis Saslinda added that Sessions judge Che Wan Zaidi Che Wan Ibrahim ordered Ong to pay a fine of RM110,000 in default of eight months' imprisonment.
The court also instructed for the diesel, a lorry and tanker that were seized during the raid to be confiscated by the government.
The case was prosecuted by KPDN's deputy public prosecutor Shafiq Mahadi.
Ong, who was represented by a counsel, paid the fine.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Be wary of suspicious links received via WhatsApp, says Bukit Aman CCID director
KUALA LUMPUR: The police have opened 26 investigation papers into a scam syndicate that tricks victims into revealing their one-time password (OTP), resulting in losses totalling RM151,000 since January this year. Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said the victims claimed they had received a suspicious message and clicked on an embedded link. "Once the victims enter information related to the OTP, there is a risk their WhatsApp accounts might be taken over by the syndicate," he said when contacted on Friday (July 25). Comm Rusdi explained that the syndicate's modus operandi involves sending random messages with links to potential victims. "If the victim clicks on the link and follows the syndicate's instructions to provide certain details, the perpetrators might be able to take over the WhatsApp account," he added. He advised the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling for such tactics. "People should delete suspicious messages or links immediately and verify the source of any URL before clicking on it. Never provide personal details, and always change your password regularly," he said. Recently, suspicious links were being spread online regarding the RM100 additional cash aid for Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme. The link is a prompt for people to supposedly check their Sara status.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
AKPS tightens officer screening to curb counter setting at borders
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) is intensifying measures to combat 'counter setting' activities at the country's entry points by implementing stricter personnel screening and policy reforms. Director-general Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain stated that the agency is formulating a new policy to ensure only officers with clean disciplinary records are stationed at border posts. 'As a new agency involving personnel from Immigration, Customs, and other departments, we've inherited legacy issues. We aim to break that cycle through proper screening,' he told reporters. Counter setting, a term describing illicit dealings at immigration counters, has been a persistent issue. Shuhaily emphasized that policy support and internal cooperation are crucial in addressing the problem. In a related case, an immigration officer in his early 30s was arrested after being found with nearly RM8,000 in cash and three mobile phones, allegedly violating internal directives. The officer, with only four years of service, has been handed over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Selangor and is being investigated under Section 17A of the MACC Act. 'This is someone with 30 years of service ahead. Unfortunately, the lack of a swift mechanism to terminate such officers remains a major challenge,' Shuhaily said. He also addressed public misconceptions about disciplinary procedures, clarifying that corrupt officers cannot simply be transferred but must undergo due process. Shuhaily has proposed a more efficient mechanism to remove corrupt public servants but noted that legal reviews with the Attorney General's Chambers and Public Services Department are necessary. - Bernama
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Scam response centre gets major upgrade to fight menace
KUALA LUMPUR: With scam-related losses climbing to RM1.5 billion and the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) fielding up to 500 calls a day, the government is ramping it up with a major operational upgrade. In September, the NSRC will relocate to a larger, purpose-built facility in Cyberjaya. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the move will allow the centre to function more effectively with increased staffing and better support mechanisms. 'Alongside enforcement improvements and legislative amendments, public awareness programmes will be intensified to address the increasingly complex nature of scams,' he said during a press conference yesterday. Saifuddin said the new facility offers a more spacious, accurate and conducive working environment which will allow the centre to centralise its key operations. He added that the premises will be equipped with all necessary components, including a physical complaints counter. 'Currently, NSRC operations are supported by the police and other partner agencies. In the initial phase, 40 personnel from the Commercial Crime Investigation Department will be assigned to the centre. We are aware of the staffing shortage within the commercial crime unit, but we are making use of internal resources as a temporary measure.' He added as of now, 18 officers are handling calls simultaneously, and this number will be increased in stages to meet growing demand. 'The move will also involve the addition of 139 officers and greater inter-agency collaboration. At present, the centre operates with four core agencies but two more – the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry and the Securities Commission Malaysia – will soon come on board.' Saifuddin said the government amended several laws last year, including introducing Sections 424A and 424B in the Penal Code to increase penalties – with fines raised from RM1,000 to RM10,000. 'In the past, only an inspector could freeze an account under the Criminal Procedure Code, but now a sergeant has that authority. We've simplified the process,' he added. Saifudin highlighted that the centre's mechanisms will also be improved, including the ability to handle calls in four major languages – Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin and Tamil – to better serve the public. He said complaints received by NSRC fall into two categories: general inquiries and real scam cases, the latter involving financial fraud, such as online scams, phishing or malware. 'The pattern of victims includes pensioners who have lost their retirement savings and working professionals. These are real financial crimes affecting everyday Malaysians. The centre operates 24/7 to respond to public complaints but the convention enables 24/7 cooperation at the international level, facilitating intelligence exchange when cross-border incidents occur.' He also announced that Malaysia is set to sign the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime in Vietnam at the end of October, a move that will strengthen real-time information sharing between countries. Saifuddin added that the upcoming Asean Ministerial Meeting on security in September will list online scams as one of its 10 key agenda items, with emphasis on capacity building, intelligence sharing and coordinated operations among member states. 'We will also intensify awareness campaigns as cybercrime is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Enforcement, prevention and legislative updates must go hand in hand to ensure our efforts to combat scams and fraudulent activities are truly effective.'
