SEREMBAN: A petrol station company and its two directors were charged at the Sessions Court here today for allegedly allowing the sale of 6,562 litres of diesel, exceeding the permitted limit, last year.
The company, represented by its two directors, Lim Kok Ban, 63, and Othman Mohamad Supian, 59, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam.
Lestari Kasturi Sdn Bhd and the two directors, as the retail license holders, are accused of allowing the sale of 6,562 litres of scheduled diesel fuel to a lorry driver around 7 pm on Aug 21, 2023, at a petrol station in Bandar Baru Nilai.
The directive from the Control of Supplies Officer stipulates that petrol stations nationwide are only allowed to sell diesel to vehicles with Malaysian registration plates in quantities not exceeding 250 litres per transaction per day, and only into the vehicle’s original tank.
The company was charged under Regulation 21(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974, which carries a maximum fine of RM2 million for the first offence and up to RM5 million for subsequent offences.
The directors were charged under the same Regulation and may face a fine of up to RM1 million, imprisonment for up to three years, or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nor Alimah Mohd Sanusi requested the court to set bail at RM10,000 with one surety for each director.
However, their lawyer Rosmira Embong, requested bail of RM5,000 for each of her clients, citing their family responsibilities and health issues requiring medical treatment.
The court granted bail at RM5,000 with one surety for each director and set the next case mention for Feb 6, 2025.
Meanwhile, in the same court, a company operating a restaurant and its Bangladeshi worker pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing 1.241 kg of subsidised cooking oil at an unlicensed premises in April
Pelita Samudra Pertama (M) Sdn Bhd, represented by its operations manager Mohd Arman Omar, 45, and Das Jhonny Chadra, 33, allegedly committed the act at the restaurant’s workers hostel here at 3.15 pm on 26 April.
They were charged under Section 20(1) of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) prosecutor Khairul Azman Rosli appeared for the prosecution, while the company and the accused were represented by lawyer Ashok Athimulan.
Judge Mohamad Kamil then set bail at RM15,000 with one surety for Das Jhonny, along with additional conditions requiring him to report to the KPDN Seremban office monthly and surrender his passport to the court.
The court scheduled the next case mention and attendance of the company director in court for Feb 13, 2025.
