BINTULU, April 12 — A construction company for the Pan Borneo Highway project was fined a total of RM80,000 by the Sessions Court here today for damaging the underground fiber optic cable belonging to Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) in four locations.

Judge Syarifuddin Abdul Rasa imposed a fine of RM20,000 for each charge against Pekerjaan Piasau Konkerit Sdn Bhd, which pleaded guilty to all four counts.

For the first charge, the company pleaded guilty to damaging a 48-core fibre optic underground cable owned by TM at a location 14.4 km from the TM Batu 34 station towards TM TT844 station in the Bintulu district at about 2pm on June 24, 2017.

The company also committed similar offences at a location 7km from TM TT844 station towards TM Batu 34 station; 42.6 km from TM Batu 34 station towards TM TT844 station; and a location 8.05km from TM TT844 station towards TM Batu 34 station, between 9am and 8pm, from June 29 to November 25, 2017.

The company represented by counsel Gurvir Sing,h was charged under Section 235 of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1988 which carries a fine not exceeding RM300,000 or jail up to three years, or both.

The prosecution was conducted by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission prosecuting officers Mai Zairani Zainal Abidin and Nur Nazhzilah Mohammad Hashim. The company paid the fine. — Bernama