Contractor fined RM16,000 for dumping waste
JOHOR BARU: An independent contractor was fined RM16,000 by the Sessions Court here yesterday after being found guilty of dumping construction solid waste into a river reserve in the city on June 7.
JH Contracts Sdn Bhd managing director Yong Kee Huat, 50, pleaded guilty to the charge read to him by an interpreter before judge Jailani Rahman.
Yong was accused of dumping controlled solid waste from a construction site without authorised permission in Tanah Rizab Skudai, Kampung Laut Skudai, at 1.39pm.
The accused was charged under Section 71(1) of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007, which is punishable under Section 71(8) of the same act.
If found guilty, he is liable to a fine of not less than RM10,000 and not exceeding RM100,000, or imprisonment of not less than six months, or both.
In his appeal, Yong pleaded for a light sentence, claiming to have dumped the waste only after being asked to do so by villagers.
However, deputy public prosecutor of the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry, Muhamad Yasser Mohd Nasri, said the court must mete out a heavy sentence to prevent a recurrence.
Yasser said the dumping involved public interest, incurred costs to maintain the area following the dumping and had an impact on the environment.
Jailani fined Yong RM16,000, which was paid by the company.
This is the third court case involving waste disposal in a prohibited area since the new state government took over in May.
Two other companies were fined RM20,000 and RM18,000 each for the same offence.