Firm fined for unregistered products

Kota Kinabalu: A company was fined RM3,500 or two months’ jail by the Sessions Court here Thursday for having two unregistered products last year.

7 Circle Sdn Bhd represented by its representative pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus to committing the offence at 3.15pm on May 22, 2019 at its premises at Block C, KK Times Square here.

The company was found to have 16 boxes of Noni Natural Soap and six boxes of Noni Oil, which were not registered with the Ministry of Health Malaysia, which violated Regulation 7(1)(a) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984.

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The offence was framed under Regulation 30(1) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984 and punishable under Section 12(2) of Sale of Drugs Act 1952 which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 on conviction.

The company representative requested for a lenient sentence because it was their first offence adding that even though the company is still operating, there are no tourism activities at the moment and that they did not sell such product after inspection by the authority.

Chief Assistant Director (enforcement) of the Pharmacy Department Mad Sapri Tumiran who appeared for prosecuting, applied for an appropriate sentence be imposed in the interest of the public.

Mad Sapri said enforcement action was taken following public complaints from consumers from the tourism sector who reported the activity, which violated the law.

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He said the estimated value of the seized products was RM1,080.

He said the unregistered products were aimed at the tourism industry where consumers were mostly foreign tourists. 

“This situation worries the Ministry of Health because if harm is reported, it will affect relations between countries.

“What is more worrying is that the product is an unregistered product, where its manufacturer and the origin of the product is unknown. It could be packed in an illegal factory where it does not have the appropriate facilities,” he said.