Tyre Company Charged for Misusing Sirim Labels

A local company and its director have been charged at the Sessions Court in Port Dickson for using fake Sirim certification stickers on retreaded tyres.

Cerico Retread Sdn Bhd, along with its director Khoo Chai Kee, 65, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read before Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam.

Khoo, appearing as the Person Under Summons (OKS), was accused of falsely applying the Sirim MS 224:2005 logo on 80 retreaded tyres of various brands and sizes. The tyres were allegedly prepared for supply without the necessary approval from Sirim.

The offence is said to have taken place at the company’s premises in Taman Perindustrian Bukit Palong Lukut, Port Dickson, around 4pm on Feb 13 this year.

Khoo faces a charge under Section 21(b) of the Trade Descriptions Act 2011, which carries a maximum fine of RM200,000 or up to three years’ jail or both upon conviction. Repeat offenders can face a fine of up to RM500,000 or five years’ jail.

The company itself was charged under Section 21(a) of the same act, which provides for a fine of up to RM500,000 or RM1 Million for subsequent offences.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Hakiim Izani, representing the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living, requested bail of RM20,000 and asked the court to hold Khoo’s passport until the case is concluded.

However, defence lawyer Raswanti Nagaindren appealed for a lower bail amount, citing Khoo’s age. The court eventually fixed bail at RM8,000 with one surety and ordered that Khoo surrender his passport. The case will be mentioned again on Aug 28 for document submission.

In light of such incidents, JPJ Director-General Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli had recently detailed that the department is exploring new enforcement measures on Sirim labeling. Among them is a proposal to have Puspakom physically label tyres after inspection, ensuring only those meeting the MS 224 standard are cleared for road use.

Source: Bernama