Firm fined for failing pay Tribunal awards

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KOTA KINABALU: A company was fined a total of RM2,400 by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for failing to pay six claimants the awards given by the Consumer Claims Tribunal three years ago.

Magistrate Norhamizah Shaiffuddin meted out the fine on Haluan Kota Sdn Bhd after its owner Mohd Jasni Abdullah pleaded guilty to the six counts.

Each of the charges under Section 117 (1) of the Consumers Protection Act 1999 (Act 599) provides for a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or a jail term of up to two years or both on convicton.

Norhamizah fined the company RM400 in default two weeks in jail for each of the charges.

The six charges accused the company of failing to obey the awards given to the six claimants by the Consumers Claims Tribunal on Nov 9, 2009 which ordered the company to pay RM2,500 for each of the six claimants.

The offence was committed on Dec 1, 2009.

The tribunal ordered the company to pay the money to the six claimants, namely Piren Goroh, 38, Ariffin Ngadul, 41, Kantihan Giot, 48, Lajarin Engki, 48, Anita Yowgor, 47, and Saita Hassan, 38 within 14 days from the date of the awards were given.

Apart from that, the tribunal also ordered the company to issue certificates to the claimants who had completed a sewing course as well as ordered it to pay RM200 as cost to the claimants within 14 days from the awards were given.

Prosecuting officer Adil Naqiuddin from Domestic Trade office, Cooperative and Consumerism, Tuaran branch prosecuted the case while the company was unrepresented.