Man denies hiring illegal

KOTA KINABALU: A man claimed trial at the Sessions Court here yesterday to hiring an illegal immigrant at his premises.

Chin Kwat Choi, who appeared before judge Azreena Aziz, was charged under Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The indictment carries a fine of not less than RM10,000 and not more than RM50,000 or a jail term of up to 12 months or both for each immigrant, upon conviction.

He was alleged to have hired a 30-year-old Filipina, Sarinah Tony Jaimi, who neither had a valid pass nor permit, at his premises at Damai Plaza in Jalan Damai here at 12am on March 8.

Chin, who was not represented, prayed for a bail on the grounds that his life was hard and had family to support while he himself was unhealthy.

The court fixed August 17 and 18 this year for trial and released the accused on RM2,000 bail with two local sureties, pending disposal of the case.

Prosecuting officer from the Immigration Department, Juachim Abel Majain, prosecuted.

Meanwhile in the same court, four men and a woman were jailed for four months for entering the state without valid documents.

All the foreigners pleaded guilty before the judge to each of their charges under Section 6 (1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The judge also ordered the men to be whipped once while some were spared due to their gender and age and all of them to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving their sentences.