An owner of a telecommunication company was fined a total of RM40,000 by the Sessions Court here today on eight charges with failing to submit the Goods and Services Tax (GST) statement to the Royal Customs Department.

Judge Murtazadi Amran meted out the fine of RM5,000 on each charge, in default six months' jail, on Wong Kean Yik, 35, who pleaded guilty to the charges.

Before meting out the fine, Murtazadi said he had taken into account several factors, including public interest, and also the implication arising from the failure to submit the statement to the Customs Department.

"When GST is not paid to the government, the government will not have the revenue to be used for public interests and others, as well as cause the country's economy to deteriorate and becomes unstable," he added.

Murtazadi said he also took into account the guilty plea made by Wong as it saved court's time.

However, the court could not impose too light a sentence as the offence is serious, he added.

Wong, 35, who is Sun Yi Telecommunication Trading director, was charged with failing to submit statements for the taxable period between May and December 2015 as stipulated under Section 41 (1) of the GST Act 2014.

The offences were committed at the Royal Customs Department Station, GST Division, Wisma Kastam, No 1 Jalan Tun Abdul Razak here.

The charges were framed under Section 41 (6) of the GST Act 2014, which provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000 or three years imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.

He had pleaded guilty to the charges last Oct 5 and during mitigation, asked the court to postpone sentencing and let him prepare enough cash to settle the fine. --BERNAMA