BUTTERWORTH - A married couple pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today, to two counts of offering an unregistered ginger plant investment scheme in 2021.
Jessie Tang, 56, and Tan Eng Heong, 54, who were directors of Asiana Bestari Sdn Bhd at the time, are accused of inviting two siblings to participate in the Ginger Contract Farming investment scheme, which was not registered under the Interest Schemes Act 2016 (Act 778).
The offences were allegedly committed on Oct 6, 2021, at Jalan Bukit Dua, Bukit Mertajam. They were charged under Section 3(2)(a) of the Interest Schemes Act 2016. If convicted, they face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years or a fine of up to RM50 million, or both, under Section 3(3) of the same Act.
Judge Noor Aini Yusof ruled that no additional bail would be granted, as they had already posted bail of RM50,000 each for the same case at the George Town Sessions Court yesterday.
The court transferred the case to the George Town Sessions Court for a joint trial and set Nov 12 for the next mention.
The prosecution was conducted by Faizal Mahdi Mahmud, Mohd Zulkhairi Kamaruzaman, and Nurul Husna Mohd Yusof from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), while the accused were represented by lawyers Mohd Haizq Razali and Aiman Abdul Rahman.
The George Town Sessions Court yesterday allowed the couple to be released on bail of RM50,000 each for similar charges related to offering an unregistered ginger plant investment scheme to two individuals in Gelugor on Dec 9, 2020, and April 6, 2022. - BERNAMA