Muslim Ab Karim, 67, and Zaleha Mohamad, 55, who were detained on May 7 last year, were also ordered to serve one month’s jail on each count if they failed to pay the fine.

Judge Murtazadi Amran also ordered them to do 100 hours of community service each.

In his judgment, Murtazadi said the sentences were meted out as a lesson to other offenders that the court would not hesitate to impose a more deterrent sentence.

“The amendment of law relating to children in Parliament demonstrates the seriousness of this offence and is to protect children from being exploited,” he said.

According to the charge sheet, the couple, who are the chairman and treasurer of the Amal Bestari Training Centre based in Yan, Kedah, were jointly charged with intending to exploit seven boys and 12 girls aged between 11 and 17 into becoming beggars by selling herbal gel and calendars.

They were alleged to have committed the offences around the Persiaran Greentown 6 area, Greentown Business Centre at 8pm on Oct 7, 2016; around CIMB Bank Taiping branch area, Jalan Panggung Wayang; and at a Maybank branch on Jalan Medan Saujana 1, Kamunting, Taiping, at 1.45am on Oct 8 the same year.

The duo also committed the offence in front of the CIMB Bank Bandar Raub Perdana branch, Raub, Pahang at 8.30pm and in front of Kemaman Kopitiam, Kuantan, Pahang, at 11pm on Nov 9, 2016; and in front of a Bank Islam branch on Jalan Mahmood, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, between 11.35pm on March 13, 2017 and 12.24am the following day.

The charge under Section 32(a) of the Child Act 2001 read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code carries a maximum fine of RM20,000, a jail term of up to five years, both, or community service upon conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Mohamad Abazafree Mohd Abbas, Jaizah Jaafar Sidek and Nadia Zulkefli while the accused were represented by counsel Zambri Idrus.