Kota Kinabalu: A company was fined RM10,000 for having 1,800 boxes of unregistered Lianhua Qingwen Jiaonang used as an alternative treatment for Covid-19.
Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus handed the sentence to Dex Communication Sdn Bhd after its Director pleaded guilty to the charge against the company on Tuesday.
The company was found having the Lianhua Qingwen Jiaonang which was not registered with the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sept 7, 2021 at 10.52am at the company premises in Asia City complex.
The offence, under Regulation 7 (1)(a) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetic Regulations 1984 and punishable under Section 12(2) of the Drug Sales Act 1952, carries a jail term of up to three years or a fine of up to RM50,000, or both, on conviction.
During mitigation, counsel Chin Tek Ming who defended the company, asked for leniency saying that the company sold the products as its side income due to the pandemic.
Chin also informed the court that the company also was influenced by outsider traders regarding the products.
However, Prosecuting Officer Mad Sapri Tumiran from the Pharmacy Department, urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence as a lesson to the company as well as give a stern warning to other traders.
Mad Sapri informed the court that the products that were confiscated were in bulk and estimated to be valued at RM36,000.
He revealed that it was the highest record compared to the recent seized items of similar unregistered products in Selangor with 1,200 boxes.
According to Mad Sapri, in view of the huge number of the products, it was suspected the items were meant to be distributed throughout Sabah as alternative treatment for Covid-19.
Mad Sapri added that the products were not registered with MOH and it could risk the public’s health when used continuously without examination and health treatment by a medical practitioner.
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