Magistrate Zuhair Rosli imposed the fine on Ruhizai Ismail, a representative of Thrive Build Sdn Bhd, after he pleaded guilty on behalf of the company to creating a situation which allowed the breeding and sheltering of the larvae of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Thrive Build was charged with committing the offence at two places at a construction site in Segambut Dalam, namely in a water puddle and a water pipe, on April 25.
The company was charged under Section 13(1), read together with Section 13(2), of the Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act 1975 and punishable under Section 23(b) of the same act, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or a jail term of up to five years, or both.
Kepong Health Office Prosecuting Officer Amirul Hisham Mohd Eisa urged the court to impose a heavy sentence on the company as this was the second time since February it had been found guilty of a similar offence.
“The construction site is located next to the hostel of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Segambut Jaya and, as of May this year, there have been eight dengue cases at the school.
“The construction site was ordered to close from April 25 to May 9 for cleaning of the premises which has the potential to breed the Aedes mosquito,” he said.
He also hoped that for the sake of public health, the sentence imposed would be a lesson to other operators at construction sites.
Thrive Build, which was not represented by counsel, appealed for a light sentence, saying it had since April taken measures to destroy potential Aedes breeding grounds.