Kota Kinabalu: A 22-year-old man was fined RM10,000, in default three years’ jail, for directly dealing with unlawful transactions involving RM22,800 through his bank account.
Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan handed down the sentence to Mazlan Wong Han Bang after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Wong committed the unlawful debit transactions through his bank account between 1.31pm and 3.47pm on March 15, 2025, at Ace Delights Food Court in Kampung Nagapas, Papar.
He was charged under Section 424C(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between three and 10 years, or a fine of between RM10,000 and RM150,000, or both, on conviction.
The court heard that on the day of the incident, the complainant received a WhatsApp message from an individual who introduced himself as Rayner from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia.
The individual told the complainant that he wanted to book catering services but also suggested that the complainant sponsor bird nests as a token of appreciation.
Rayner then instructed the complainant to purchase the bird nests from an individual named Gerry. The complainant subsequently transferred money in four transactions to a bank account registered under Wong’s name.
After receiving the payments, Rayner blocked the complainant’s phone number.
Wong was arrested on June 13, 2025. According to Wong, he had provided his bank account details, including his ATM card, to a third party.
Investigations revealed that Wong was directly involved in handling the unlawful transactions.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim appeared for the prosecution, while counsel Azizah Saleh represented Wong.
