China man fined over fake visit pass

KOTA KINABALU: A China man was fined RM4,000, in default, four months in jail by the Sessions Court here yesterday for using fake endorsement on his social visit pass to enter in Sabah.

Judge Azreena Aziz imposed the fine on Ma Luming, 30, after he pleaded guilty to the offence, charged under Section 56(1)(aa) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The indictment provides for a maximum fine of RM10,000 or a jail term of up to five years or both, upon conviction.

Ma was apprehended for having the fake endorsement in his document at the departure hall of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport here at 10.40pm on February 4.

In mitigation, Ma, who was represented by counsel Chin Tek Ming, prayed for leniency on the grounds that he did not know the endorsement was fake because his document was managed by his employer.

Chin said Ma’s employer had obtained the endorsement through an agent.

He also said that Ma came to Malaysia in August 2018 and worked as a mobile phone repair technician.

Prosecuting officer Mohd Syafiq Amin from the Immigration Department, however, requested a deterrent sentence to be imposed against the accused.

The court also ordered the accused to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving the sentence and for his biometrics data to be recorded for deportation.