A COMPANY supplying frozen food was fined RM1.5 million by the Johor Baru Sessions Court after its owner pleaded guilty to seven charges of using, owning and offering the use of fake halal logos after a meat smuggling scandal was exposed in December 2020.

Judge Fatimah Zahari imposed the fine on LY Frozen Food Sdn Bhd, which was represented by its director Yong Chee Keong, 42, who pleaded guilty to the charges.

The court also fined Yong RM100,000 or six months’ jail for pleading guilty to the same seven charges while another director, Tan Siew Huak, 44, who is still at large, was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for the seven charges.

Meanwhile, seven charges against LY Frozen Food Sdn Bhd store manager Chong Kim Kuang, 50, were dropped since he was only a worker in the company.

They were charged with offering products for sale using GBP Australia Pty Ltd and Ararat Meat Exports Pty Ltd labels bearing the Australian halal logo to indicate that the food was safe for Muslims in a manner contrary to paragraph 4(1) of the Trade Description (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011.

The offences were allegedly committed at 663 Jalan Idaman 3/4, Taman Perindustrian Desa Idaman, Senai on December 1, 2020, at about 3.30pm.

All the accused were charged under section 5(1)(a) and section 5(1)(c) of the Trade Descriptions Act, as well as the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Halal Marking) Order.

They were also charged with using fake trade descriptions on GBP Australia Pty Ltd and Arafat Meat Exports Pty Ltd labels bearing the Islamic Co-ordinating Council of Victoria and Perth Mosque Incorporated halal logo on 3,418 boxes of frozen food without their approval.

The prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutors Mohd Sophian Zakaria, Kwan Li Sa, Syazwani Zawawi, Mas Syafiqah Maarob and Kee Shu Min from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry while all the accused were represented by lawyer Zamri Idrus.

On December 2, 2020, media reported that local authorities had busted a group involved in smuggling meat from Ukraine, Brazil, Argentina and China and repackaging it with fake halal logos which were then distributed throughout Malaysia.

Their activities came to light during an integrated raid at a warehouse in Senai where RM6.47 million worth of products bearing fake halal logos was seized. – Bernama, February 22, 2023.