Water theft: 3 company directors fined RM15,000 each

KUANTAN: The Sessions Court here today ordered three company directors to pay a fine of RM15,000 in default three months imprisonment each, for water theft.
Foo Siang Teng, 40, Yeow Soon Chye, 53, and Lee Sin Kee, 55, of Builtmax Construction and Engineering Work pleaded guilty before judge Datuk Unaizah Mohd to illegally connecting public water supply to a construction site.
They committed the offence at a temporary store at Lot 733, Jalan Kuantan-Pekan, Batu 17 in Penor here on Jan 26, 2015.
The charge under Section 123(1) of the Water Services Industry Act 2006 punishable under Section 123(3) of the same Act, carries a fine of not more than RM100,000 or maximum imprisonment of one year, on conviction.
Prosecution officer Shariful Azman Mustapa Yahya and Mohd Helmy Razelan represented the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) while the three were unrepresented.
Earlier in mitigation, Foo who spoke for all three, said the construction project involved was small.
"We were imposed a compound of RM10,000 by SPAN. It is not that we did not want to pay but we could not afford it and had appealed for the compound to be reduced.
"We had also paid RM6,000 to Pengurusan Air Pahang Berhad (PAIP)," he said.
However, Shariful Azman said the three directors were charged because they failed to settle the compound after being given edequate time.
He said the RM6,000 payment to PAIP was a matter separate from the charge the trio faced.
"The RM6,000 payment was for estimated losses incurred by PAIP due to their action," he submitted.
The prosecuting officer also urged the court to impose a heavy and appropriate sentence as a deterrent.
"They as a business entity should be more responsible in paying the water bill as domestic consumers such as villagers also pay for the water they use," he added. — Bernama