Kota Kinabalu: A 56-year-old man was fined RM2,000 or one month jail on Friday for displaying symbol, emblem and badge of an organisation that is not registered with the Registrar of Societies (RoS).
Zainuddin Sahlan, who runs a car wash business, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles to committing the offence at 1.40pm on March 10, this year at Borneo Usaha Maju Car Wash, Tanjung Aru, here.
Zainuddin admitted to deliberately displaying symbol, emblem and badge of ‘Borneo Red Empire’ which was not approved by the RoS or in breach of the conditions by RoS.
The charge under Section 50(3) of the Societies Act 1966 carries a jail term of up to three months or fine of up to RM3,000, on conviction.
Inspector Navind Kumar Vijayan, prosecuting, told the court that a police team went to the said premises and inspected Zainuddin, who was sitting on a chair outside the premises’ counter.
When checked, the police found symbol, emblem and badge of ‘Borneo Red Empire’ on the windscreen of Zainuddin’s car and also on his handphone, said Navind.
Zainuddin was then arrested and the items seized as he was suspected of being involved in a group of organisation banned by the government in 2013 and that ‘Borneo Red Empire’ was not registered with the RoS, the court heard.
Investigations revealed that the organisation was also not registered with the Malaysia Societies Registration
Department (JPPM) and that the information of the organisation was not found in the JPPM’s record, said the prosecution.
‘Borneo Red Empire’ gang was listed (no.33) in the Federal Government Gazette (Order under Section 5) on Aug 28, 2013 as an organisation prejudicial to public order, the court heard.
Duty counsel Lim Ming Zoong @ Lawrence, representing Zainuddin in requesting a lenient sentence, said Zainuddin is a car wash businessman, married with five children and the sole breadwinner of his family.
Zainuddin also suffered diabetes and high cholesterol, said Lim, adding that the only reason for Zainuddin’s involvement in the group was because he was a fan and advisor to Muay Thai.
Navind applied for an adequate sentence and for the exhibits to be disposed of.
Lovely ordered the exhibits be disposed of by the investigating officer.
In another case, a 39-year-old Filipino labourer was jailed six months for having stolen properties.
Roy Martin pleaded guilty before Magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie to keeping a stolen grass cutter belonging to Kg Darau Manggatal Al-Munir Mosque at 12.20am on Sept 14 near a drain in front of the mosque.
Roy was charged under Section 411 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to five years or fine or both, on conviction.
The court ordered Roy to be referred to the Immigration Department thereafter.
Inspector Suzie @ Stephanie Kupit prosecuted.