Transport company owner fined RM150,000 for storing nearly 30,000 litres of diesel illegally

KUALA TERENGGANU, March 1 — A transport company owner was fined RM150,000 by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to storing diesel without a licence about three years ago.

Judge Mohd Zul Zakiqudin Zulkifli imposed the sentence on Hasdi Mustapa, 45, and ordered him to serve six months’ imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine. He paid the fine.

According to the charge, Hasdi, as the owner of HMH Truck, was found in possession of 29,070.78 litres of controlled goods, namely diesel, which is also a scheduled item, stored in a semi-trailer storage tank attached to a tanker lorry head at Kampung Cacar, Paka, Dungun at 9.30am on July 6, 2023.

The charge was framed under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961 (Act 122) and is punishable under Section 22(1) of the same Act, which provides for a fine of up to RM1 million, imprisonment of up to three years, or both.

The court also ordered that proceeds from the sale of the seized diesel amounting to RM68,888.79 be forfeited to the government, and that the lorry used to store the controlled goods be forfeited and handed over to the government.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Siti Edabayu Subhan and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry’s prosecuting officer Nur Amirah Mokhtar, while Hasdi was represented by lawyer Mohamad Zaiful Bahrin Kamde. — Bernama