Jeon Eunjin, 55, entered the plea after the charge was read in English before magistrate Nadratun Naim Saidi. The sentence is effective from his arrest on June 30.

According to the charge sheet, Jeon, a construction worker in South Korea, remained in Malaysia without a valid reason after his 90-day social visit pass expired on Feb 10.

He was accused of committing the offence at the criminal investigation division’s office of the Timur Laut police headquarters at 12.30pm on June 30.

Jeon was charged under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, punishable under Section 15(4) of the same Act which provides for a fine of not less than RM10,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both, upon conviction.

National Legal Aid Foundation lawyer Nur Adilla Zaharuddin had appealed for a minimal fine, saying Jeon was married with two children and had saved the court time and cost by pleading guilty.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Danial Amir Saari however urged the court to impose a sentence proportionate to the offence.

In a separate charge heard in the same courtroom, Jeon was also fined RM2,000 or six months’ jail in default after pleading guilty to lodging a false police report.

He was accused of intentionally filing the report to prompt the police to exercise lawful authority and open an investigation. The offence took place at 12.45pm on June 28, also at the Timur Laut police headquarters.

Jeon was charged under Section 182 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.