BANGI: Two pork suppliers were fined at separate Magistrates Courts here on Wednesday (Jan 17) for possessing unslaughtered pig carcasses without a Veterinary Services Department (JPV) licence.
In the first case, the owner was fined RM7,000 in default six months in prison by the Bandar Baru Bangi Magistrate Court for possessing 11,510kg of unslaughtered pig carcasses at a licensed slaughterhouse in June last year.
Magistrate Nurdiyanah Mohd Nawawi sentenced the accused, Leong Weng Choon, 60, after he pleaded guilty to the charge under Regulation 5(3) of the Animals (Control of Slaughter) Rules 2009.
The offence was committed at Cresthill Industrial Park, Bandar Teknologi Kajang, near here, at 10.25am on June 1, 2023.
The accused settled the fine.
According to the facts of the case, the Selangor JPV enforcement team discovered the carcasses during a raid of the premises, and the accused failed to produce a JPV licence for the ownership.
A freezer room, 110 boxes of pig carcasses, 128 packets of pork lard, and 748 packets of pork were also seized.
Earlier during the proceedings, JPV prosecutor Fadzilah Abdul Karim proposed a stiff penalty as a deterrent to the accused and livestock industry players as the pig carcasses were found to be positive for African Swine Fever (ASF).
The accused's lawyer, Lau Zher Tung, appealed for a minimum fine, saying his client had repented and also had to bear the loss of the carcasses valued at RM100,000, which had to be disposed of.
Over at the Kajang Magistrates Court, another pork supplier was fined RM6,000 in default six months in prison for the possession of 702kg of unslaughtered pig carcasses at a licensed slaughterhouse in November last year.
Magistrate Nik Siti Nurazlini Nik Mohamed Faiz imposed the fine on Low Kang Siong, 38, after he pleaded guilty to committing the offence at Sintak Kee Foods Trading Factory, Industrial Park Balakong, Seri Kembangan near here, at 4.30 pm, Nov 1, 2023.
JPV prosecutor Remie Ramli requested a deterrent sentence. However, the unrepresented accused appealed for a lenient sentence, saying he was unaware of the JPV licence requirement.
The accused paid the fine. – Bernama
