Judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid meted out the fine on the company, after its representative, human resources manager Sim Li En, pleaded guilty to the charge.

The company paid the fine.

According to the charge, the company was accused of failing to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its workers by failing to ensure the safe handling of its launching gantry during maintenance work resulting in the accidental death of three Chinese-national workers by the name of Wu Tongzheng, Ding Kunfu and Jiang Jinbao.

The offence was committed at 3PT39 to 3PT41, Package CA3, Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) Privatisation project at CH4200 to CH7800 Jalan Alam Damai here, at 8.45am on March 22 this year.

The charge was framed under Section 15(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, which is punishable under Section 19 of the same Act and carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to two years or both, upon conviction.

Earlier during mitigation, Sim said the company had taken appropriate measures to prevent accidents at the workplace and to avoid a similar incident.

The prosecuting officer from the Occupational Safety and Health Department, Abdul Rahim Sabri requested for a deterrent sentence.

“This is a high profile case that received wide media coverage and involved the deaths of three people. I request the court to impose a maximum fine to serve as a lesson to other employers so that they will ensure the safe operation of machinery and reduce the risk of accidents at workplaces,” he added.

On March 22, the media reported that three Chinese workers were killed, while a driver was seriously injured following the incident in which one of the components of a launching gantry fell at the SUKE Elevated Highway construction site near Puncak Banyan, Persiaran Alam Damai, Cheras, here.