Singaporean family pleads not guilty to insulting Malaysian Immigration officer

Freelance worker Quek and daughter Cheryl being escorted out of court in Pekan Nenas Immigration Depot.

PONTIAN: A single mother and her two teenage children, all Singaporeans, pleaded not guilty to obstructing the duty of an Immigration Department officer in a special court at the Pekan Nenas Immigration Depot here.

Freelance worker Quek Chin Fern, 42, her son Miguel Lim, 19 and daughter Cheryl Isabella Lim, 18, were alleged to have carried out the offence at a car exit lane in the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex at about 3.30pm on Aug 12.

The trio were charged under Section 56(1)(g) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155), read out together under Section 34 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 56(1)(aa) of the same act.

All three claimed trial to the charge that was read out to them before judge Salawati Djambari here on Monday.

If found guilty each accused could be slapped with a fine of not more than RM10,000 or a maximum five-year jail term.

Salawati allowed bail at RM10,000 with one Malaysian surety for each of the accused and set Sept 5 for the case next mention.

Immigration prosecuting officer A. Vikneswaran prosecuted the case while counsel Goh Sze Han represented the Singaporeans.

It was earlier reported that the trio were detained after they refused to lower the back window of their tinted car during inspection at the car zone heading towards the island republic.

They had also allegedly hurled abuse and accusations at the Immigration officer who wanted to inspect the vehicle.