Latest news with #ThalhaBachok
The Star
05-06-2025
- The Star
Motorcyclist gets RM7,000 fine for heading to S'pore without scanning passport
PONTIAN: A 31-year-old motorcyclist, who was rushing to work in Singapore, paid a hefty price for exiting Malaysia without getting his passport scanned at one of the two land checkpoints. Sessions Court Judge Thalha Bachok @ Embok Mok fined Lee Choon Sheng RM7,000 after the accused pleaded guilty to the charge. According to the charge sheet, the accused had allegedly opened up the barrier at a motorcycle lane at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) in Johor Baru at about 8.30am on May 25, while heading to work in Singapore. He had exited the country without scanning his passport and allegedly committed an office under Section 2(2) of the Passport Act 1963. The case was prosecuted by Immigration prosecutor Omar Zaridz Abd Rahman while the accused was not represented. The accused, who faced a six month jail term in default of paying the fine, settled the amount. Last year, at least four locals were nabbed for not just leaving the country without scanning their passports but also vandalising some of the equipment at the checkpoint. A Home Ministry official advised the thousands of motorcyclists using the two land checkpoints with Singapore not to "resort to using shortcuts" when entering and exiting the country as it was a serious offence under the Immigration Act. "The person faces a hefty fine or jail-time for those who do not stop and produce their passports when entering and exiting the country," the official said. In the past, the immigration Department has nabbed and charged Malaysians and Singaporeans during special operations for travelling to Singapore without showing their passports at the two land check-points with the island republic.
New Straits Times
30-05-2025
- New Straits Times
55-year-old woman charged with trafficking underage boy and girl
JOHOR BARU: A 55-year-old woman was charged in the Sessions Court here today with two counts of trafficking underage children last year. The accused, Haliza Palok, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out by the court interpreter before Judge Thalha Bachok @ Embok Mok. According to the charge sheet, Haliza was alleged to have trafficked a boy, aged between 10 and 12, and a girl, aged between 13 and 15 by exploiting them for illegal activities under Section 5(1)(c) of the Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act. The alleged offence was committed at Jalan Kargo 2, Senai Airport City, Senai, at 6.54pm on Dec 19 last year. The charges were framed under Section 14 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 that carries a sentence of life imprisonment or a minimum of five years' jail and whipping upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor from the Immigration Department, Tan Yen Thung, proposed bail of RM20,000 for each charge with two sureties. Tan also proposed the court impose additional conditions including monthly reporting to the Johor Immigration Office and surrendering the accused's international passport to the court. However, lawyer Amarpreet Singh Rajwinder Singh, representing the accused, requested minimal bail, stating that his client was unaware of being charged today and that both she and her husband were unemployed. The court later granted bail of RM17,000 for both charges with two guarantors, along with two additional conditions as proposed by the prosecution. The accused was also prohibited from interfering with prosecution witnesses. The case is fixed for mention on Aug 27 for the submission of documents.
