Ewe, who is also the Gopeng MCA chief, claimed trial to six charges after they were read before two Petaling Jaya sessions court judges, Berita Harian reported.
He was charged under Section 4(1) of the Trade Descriptions Order (Halal Definition) 2011 with supplying 366 sandwiches which were likely to mislead people into believing were halal.
The products involved were 50 mixed tuna sandwiches, 43 mixed potato sandwiches, 77 mixed chicken sandwiches, 74 egg mayo sandwiches, 66 ham and cheese sandwiches, and 56 chilli crab stick sandwiches.
Ewe, 65, was charged with committing the offences at Shake and Bake’s premises in Sunway Damansara on Jan 10. He faces a maximum RM100,000 fine, up to three years in jail, or both, if convicted as a first offender.
Repeat offenders face a maximum RM250,000 fine, up to five years’ imprisonment, or both, upon conviction.
Shake and Bake, represented by Ewe, also pleaded not guilty to six separate charges of the same offence at the same location and date.
The company faces a maximum RM200,000 fine if convicted as a first offender, and up to RM500,000 for second offences and beyond.
Ewe, a US permanent resident, and Shake and Bake were also jointly charged with falsely applying a registered trademark to goods or services, under Section 100 of the Trademarks Act 2019.
Both pleaded not guilty.
The company faces a maximum RM15,000 fine for each product falsely stamped with the halal logo, if convicted. For second and subsequent offences, it faces a fine of up to RM30,000 for each product.
Ewe faces a maximum RM10,000 fine for every product falsely stamped with the halal logo, up to three years in jail, or both, upon conviction.
He faces a fine of up to RM20,000 for each product, a maximum five years’ prison term, or both, for subsequent offences.
Deputy public prosecutors Shafiq Mahadi and Hakiim Izani proposed that bail be fixed at RM60,000 for each charge, citing public interest in the case. They also wanted Ewe to surrender his passport.
Lawyer Hamdan Hamzah requested that Ewe be allowed to post bail at RM120,000 for all charges, saying his client had cooperated with the authorities throughout their investigation.
The court allowed Ewe to post bail at RM130,000 for all charges and ordered him to surrender his passport. Case mention has been fixed for March 5.