Kuching noodle factory owner fined RM10,000 for hiring illegal immigrant

KUCHING (Feb 27): The Sessions Court here has fined a noodle factory owner RM10,000 in default 10 months’ jail for employing an Indonesian woman who had no valid pass since 2023.

Judge Musli Ab Hamid convicted Sim See Chieng, 70, on her own guilty plea to a charge under Section 55B of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Amendment 2002), which is punishable under Section 55B(1) of the same Act.

The provision carries a fine of between RM10,000 and RM50,000, or up to 12 months in jail, or both for each such employee upon conviction.

Sim was found to have employed the foreign worker between April 6, 2023 and January 28 of this year.

According to the facts of the case, based on information, police inspected Sim’s house and found an Indonesian woman suspected of being a vulnerable person who had been deceived and exploited as forced labour.

Sim was then arrested after she surrendered herself and further investigations were carried out.

It was revealed that the worker had been employed at Sim’s factory for about two years without receiving any wages and was only provided with accommodation and food throughout the period.

This was confirmed during Sim’s interrogation.

The worker also alleged that she had been assaulted, was not allowed to use a mobile phone, and that Sim had kept her passport.

Deputy public prosecutor Ruvinasini Pandian appeared for the prosecution, while Sim was represented by counsel Datuk Shankar Ram Asnani.