Kota Kinabalu: A furniture company was fined RM8,000, in default of which a warrant to levy will be issued, for not having a fire certificate for its premises.
Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan meted out the sentence to New Tech Furniture Sdn Bhd after its manager pleaded guilty to a charge against the company on Wednesday.
The company was found not having the certificate at its premises along Jalan Tuaran By-pass on Oct 31, 2025.
The offence under Section 33 of the Fire Services Act 1988 carries a fine of up to RM50,000, or a jail term of up to five years, or both, upon conviction.
Before handing down the sentence, the court reminded the company to ensure that it obtains the necessary fire certificate and to treat the case as a lesson before any untoward incident occurs.
The court also said that without a fire certificate, it would be difficult for the company to claim insurance if anything happened, and hoped that the sentence meted out would serve as a clear warning not only to the company but also to other premises owners.
During mitigation, the manager of the company expressed regret over the offence and undertook not to repeat it in the future. The company’s manager also told the court that improvements had already been made to comply with fire safety requirements.
However, Fire and Rescue Department Prosecuting Officer Nur Farizah Jembri urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence, saying the offence involved the safety of workers and visitors at the premises.
She added that the sentence should serve as a warning to others not to commit a similar offence. According to the facts of the case, a reminder letter had earlier been issued to the company.
However, investigations later revealed that the premises still did not have the required fire certificate.
