PASIR MAS, Jan 7 (Bernama) -- The Magistrate's Court here today imposed a fine of RM4,000 each on three locals after they pleaded guilty to entering Malaysia from Thailand through an illegal route this month.
The three individuals, comprising boat passengers Lim Wu Han, 34, and a married couple, Rajmidi Sahli, 50, and Nursyuhada Abdullah, 29, entered their guilty plea after the charges were read before Magistrate Mohd Izdham Naim Che Ani.
They were accused of entering Malaysia at the Sungai Pengkalan Haram Jambu bank in Rantau Panjang using an unauthorised route at 1.30 pm on Jan 3.
The facts of the case revealed that General Operations Force officers conducting surveillance in the Pengkalan Haram Jambu area in Rantau Panjang, saw the three accused disembark from a boat heading in from Thailand, skippered by a man.
Initial investigations revealed that all three accused were Malaysian citizens with valid identification cards.
They were charged under Section 5(1) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 [Act 155], which carries a fine of up to RM10,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Syazalia Che Suhaimin appeared for the prosecution, while the accused were represented by lawyer Nabila Mohd Noordin from the National Legal Aid Foundation.
Syazalia requested a penalty that would serve as both a fair punishment and a lesson for the accused to use authorised routes.
However, Nabila requested the minimum fine, explaining that Lim works as a shop assistant, Rajmidi is a site supervisor, and Nursyuhada is a housewife.
The court then imposed a fine of RM4,000 each, with one month’s imprisonment in default if they fail to settle it.
-- BERNAMA
