Director Of Security Company, Husband Fined For Running A Business Without KDN Licence

PETALING JAYA, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- The director of a security company and her husband were each fined RM5,000 by the Magistrate's Court here today after pleading guilty to running a private agency business without a licence last year. 

Magistrate Farah Azura Mohd Saad fined V. Anbarasan, 47, and his wife K. Shoba Devi, 45, and ordered the couple to serve three months' jail sentences, if they failed to pay the fine.

According to the charges, the shareholder, Anbarasan and the company's director, Shoba Devi were charged with jointly running a private agency business without having a licence as provided under Section 3(1) of the Private Agencies Act 1971.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Joint Management Body (JMB) Guard Post of the Suria Kinrara Complex, Puchong here at 9.30am on Oct 21, under Section 14 of the Private Agencies Act 1971 which provides for a maximum fine of RM10,000 or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both.

According to the facts of the case, on the day of the incident, a team of Enforcement and Control officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) were patrolling the area.

A check at the Ministry of Home Affairs' Security Industry Management System (eSIMS) found that the company was not registered with the agency and found that the company did not have a licence issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct business as a private agency.

Prosecuting Officer from the Enforcement and Control Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Siti Salmi Ashaari, sought a commensurate punishment as a lesson to other security companies that it could affect national security

"This company does not have a licence to carry on the business of security guards. They take security guards without screening, if they are registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs, we will check and go through the screening whether the security guards have a history of past and criminal records," she said. 

 However, lawyer Datuk Suraj Singh, representing the two accused, sought a fine on the grounds that they had repented and promised not to repeat the same act. 

-- BERNAMA