Catering firm director, 73, fined RM10,000 over forged tenancy agreement

A 73-year-old catering company director was fined RM10,000 today for using a forged tenancy agreement to secure foreign worker quotas for his company.

Sessions court judge Ilmami Ahmad ordered Chua Keng Hiang, a director of PSSB Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, to serve six months in jail if he fails to pay the fine.

Chua used the forged agreement, purportedly signed by premise owner Goh Leong Han, 65, to support his company’s application to the immigration department under its labour recalibration programme, known as RTK 2.0.

The document, dated July 1, 2021, concerned a unit owned by Goh in Jalan Padang Walter Grenier, off Jalan Imbi.

The offence took place at the immigration department’s foreign workers division at the home ministry complex in Jalan Sri Hartamas on July 5, 2023.

Chua was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum two-year jail term, a fine or both.

According to the case facts, the immigration department approved a quota for six foreign workers in the services sector after accepting the tenancy agreement as genuine.

However, subsequent checks revealed that the document was forged. Investigations also found that Goh denied signing the agreement or entering into any tenancy arrangement with PSSB Holdings.

Deputy public prosecutor Noorhani Ayub urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, arguing that the offence had implications for national security, particularly concerning the entry of foreign nationals into Malaysia.

Defence counsel Michelle Tan, however, sought a lower fine, citing Chua’s advanced age and health problems, including early-stage dementia, heart disease and prostate cancer.

She said Chua regretted his actions and had apologised for the offence and promised not to repeat it.

Subscribe to our newsletter and get news delivered to your mailbox.