Umrah package firm, director charged for ignoring tribunal's RM232,000 award to consumers
The company, Emraz Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, and its director, Datuk Zulkarnain Endut, 44, each face six charges under Section 117(1) of the Consumer Protection Act 1999, which carries a penalty of up to RM10,000, two years' imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.
Zulkarnain, in his capacity as a director and on behalf of the company, pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Dzul Elmy Yunus after the charges were read out.
According to the charge sheet, the company and Zulkarnain had allegedly committed the offences between July 2023 and January 2024 at the Sabah Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry in Jalan UMS, here, by failing to pay the awards ranging from RM24,666.80 to RM50,000 to six individuals, totalling RM232,526.80.
The court fixed Sept 23 for pre-trial case management and allowed bail at RM1,000 for each charge, with a local surety.
An additional condition was imposed requiring the accused to report to the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry's office in Putrajaya on the 17th of every month.
Deputy public prosecutors from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, Shafiq Mahadi and Md Syafique Md Helmie, prosecuted while the accused was represented by counsel Farah Nazriah Chun Lee @ Mohd Fadzlee Lee.
Earlier, Farah informed the court that another director of the company, Datin Mazuin Mustafa, who is also Zulkarnain's wife, was supposed to be charged today but was unable to attend due to a high-risk pregnancy that prevented her from travelling to Sabah.
Farah said her condition had been confirmed by Putrajaya Hospital on June 20, and she applied for the warrant of arrest against Mazuin to be revoked, which was not opposed by the prosecution.
Meanwhile, Shafiq informed the court that according to a letter from the hospital, the accused's wife is currently 11 weeks pregnant.
The prosecution requested that the next case management to be fixed within two months, with the same date also intended to ascertain the status of the accused's wife regarding when she would be fit to travel to Sabah.
The court was also informed that Zulkarnain is facing similar charges in various states across Malaysia, including Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia.
On July 8 2023, Bernama quoted Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing as saying that the ministry had suspended the licence of Emraz Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd for six months, effective July 10, 2023 until Jan 9, 2024.
Lembaga Tabung Haji Lembaga Tabung Haji had also suspended the licence of the same company on April 2 in the same year in a move to protect the welfare of prospective haj pilgrims following public complaints about their umrah services.
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