China man fined RM900,000 for possessing parabolic dish sets

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KENINGAU: The Magistrate’s Court here yesterday fined a Chinese national RM900,000, in default, two years’ jail for possessing 106 sets of parabolic dish without valid import documents.

Wen Dong Wu, 31, from Guangdong, China, pleaded guilty before magistrate Mohd Hafizi Abdul Halim when the charge was read to him through an interpreter from the Customs Department, Pik Ensuan Cham.

According to the facts of the case, about 2.30pm on June 14, a team from the Keningau Customs Enforcement Division headed by Winston ak Patrick inspected the Yeo Nursery at Kampung Mottou, Masak Road, here.

The team found 106 sets of parabolic dish belonging to the accused, and the items were brought to the Keningau Customs Enforcement Division for investigation and further action.

From the investigation, the sets, including the parabolic dishes measuring 1.5 meters in diameter, digital satellite receivers and parabolic antenna reflectors were owned by the accused.

All the items had no import documents, and were thus classified as prohibited goods without duty under items 23 and 24, Second Schedule of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 2008.

The offence is punishable under Section 135 (1) (d) of the Customs Act 1967 for knowingly possessing prohibited goods where the accused can be punished under Section 135 (a) (iii) (aa) of the same Act.

State Customs senior assistant director Ahmad Samad and State Customs superintendent Janet S. Linggu prosecuted.

In his mitigation, the accused asked the court to lighten the sentence because he has a wife and mother in China and wanted to quickly return to his home country.

The accused claimed he did not know that it was illegal to own parabolic dish sets in Malaysia.

“In China, it is not an offence. I ask the court to lighten the sentence so I can quickly return to my country,” he said.

Prosecuting officer Janet S. Linggu asked the court to sentence the accused accordingly in accordance with Section 135 (1) of the Customs Act 1967.

Magistrate Mohd Hafizi found the accused guilty and imposed a fine of RM900,000, in default, two years’ jail while all exhibits would be submitted to the Customs Department for further action.

The accused failed to pay the fines and was sent to Kepayan Prison.