KUCHING: A food premises owner was fined RM2,000 or five months’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court for failing to display a no-smoking sign at his premises in June.
In a statement, the Kuching Health Office said the owner pleaded guilty to a charge framed under Section 18(1)(a) of the Public Health Smoking Product Control Act 2024, read together with Section 18(2) of the same Act. The offence carries a maximum fine of RM5,000.
The court was told that the owner had previously been issued a notice of offence under Section 47 of the same Act and was given two months to settle a compound at any health office.
However, he failed to do so within the stipulated period, prompting the case to be brought to court.
A final reminder for payment was also issued.
The charge was read before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan.
According to the facts of the case, the offence was detected during an Ops Rokok operation carried out by the enforcement team of the Kuching Health Office around Petra Jaya.
During proceedings, prosecuting officer Mohd Fairos Ibrahim from the Inspectorate and Legal Unit told the court it is the responsibility of premises owners to display no-smoking signs.
