JOHOR BAHRU, Nov 10 — The Sessions Court here today fined a 48-year-old Chinese company director RM20,000 for deceiving the Johor Department of Environment (DoE) during an investigation into the purchase of plastic containers in 2022.
The accused, Chen Zhenlong, pleaded guilty after the charge was read in Mandarin before Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail.
According to the charge sheet, Chen, who is also a director of an investment company, abetted in deceiving the Johor DoE by claiming that another firm — and not his plastic recycling company, Ascent Asia Industries Sdn Bhd — had purchased four containers on January 19, 2022.
The deception caused the DoE to refrain from taking action against Ascent Asia Industries under Section 31(1) and Section 37(1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974. Section 31(1) empowers the DoE director-general to order preventive action against pollution, while Section 37(1) prescribes penalties for failing to comply with such orders.
Chen was charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code for abetment, read together with Section 417 for cheating, which carries a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Rais Adha Ramli appeared for the prosecution, while Chen was represented by lawyer Jeremy Chan Chun Hong.
The court imposed a RM20,000 fine, in default three months’ imprisonment.
Chen had initially pleaded not guilty when first charged in September before the same judge.
