Kota Kinabalu: A company was fined a total of RM5,500 by the Magistrate’s Court here for having imported two types of food that contained Sulphur Dioxide, a preservative, which exceeded the standard that had been set.
THT Distribution (Sabah) Sdn Bhd represented by its representative pleaded guilty before Magistrate Lovely Natasha to committing the offence at its premises at Taman Industri Warisan Indah, Inanam Mile 7, Jalan Tuaran at 11.10am on March 8 this year.
The company was ordered to pay a fine of RM3,000 or two months’ jail on the first count of importing Crispy Fish food that contained Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) which is 195mg/kg in excess of the set standard of 30mg/kg (Codex Alimentarius) under Regulation 19(2)(b)(ii) of the Food Regulations 1985.
On the second count, the company was fined RM2,500 or two months’ jail for importing Ikan Satay food that contained Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) which is 195mg/kg in excess of the standard.
The company, an importer with an address in Kuching, Sarawak had committed an offence under Regulation 19(2)(b)(ii) of the Food Regulations 1985 read with Section 13B(2)(e) of the Food Act 1983 and punishable under Section 13B(4) of the same Act which provides for a fine of up to RM20,000 or jail term of up to five years or both, on conviction.
Health Prosecuting Officer Arnila Ahmad told the court that enforcement officers from the Sepanggar Port Health Office went to the premises and took a random sample of Crispy Fish and Ikan Satay food which were then sent to the Kota Kinabalu Public Health Laboratory for analysis.
The analysis result dated April 11, this year stated that the food contained Sulphur Dioxide which exceeded the standard set as stated, the court heard.
In another case, a man in his 40s was charged with threatening to kill a woman.
Najib Abdul Gapal pleaded not guilty to committing the offence against Jitun Laja at 6.30pm on Aug 11 outside of a house at Kg Lok Urai.
Inspector Kelvan Elson Maik prosecuting, applied for a case management date and proposed no bail as the accused has no valid document.
Lovely set Oct 3 for mention and ordered Najib to be further remanded.
Najib was charged under Section 506 of the Penal Code.
