Trader slapped with RM5,000 fine after pleading guilty to supplying pirated discs

MIRI: A local trader was fined RM5,000 in default five months’ jail by the Sessions Court yesterday, after he pleaded guilty to supplying 3,003 pirated optical discs at a premises in Emart Commercial Centre.

Judge Steve Ritikos announced this after taking into consideration many aspects including the man’s guilty plea and mitigation, facts of the case, the seriousness of the case and public interest.

Jong Ken Fock, 48, from Desa Senadin here was charged under Regulation 4(4) (a) of Trade Descriptions (Optical Disc Label) Order 2010 of Trade Description Act 2011, which provides for a fine of up to RM100,000 or a threeyear imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.

The case came about following the raid by enforcement officers from the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism ( KPDNKK) Miri branch on a premises at Emart Commercial Centre around 4.15pm on March 1, 2011.

It is learnt that the premises had been supplying or offering 3,003 optical discs that were without any label. Further investigations showed that the premises was registered under Jong.

The previews on the content of all 3,003 discs, conducted between Jan 17 and 19 last year, confirmed that each piece contained films and sound – rendering them as pirated discs due to each not having any valid label.

Dominic Joseph Bakir was the prosecutor for KPDNKK, while Ranbir Singh was the counsel for the accused.