T. Gopinath, 36, the owner of Restoran Silvas Curry House pleaded guilty at a Session Court here after he was charged yesterday.

The offence under Section 53A of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, punishable under Section 57(b), carries a fine of up to 500,000 ringgit or two years in jail, or both, upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor A. Karthiyayini pressed for a deterrent punishment, saying the restaurant had been operating for three years.

According to the facts of the case, the restaurant was said to have sold a plate of nasi lemak by increasing its price from 2.50 ringgit in January to 3.50 ringgit in June last year.

Judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid imposed a fine of 4,000 ringgit, in default 14 days’ jail.

Meanwhile, Ting Pooi Guan, 59, a director of Trendcell Sdn Bhd, which owns the Jaya Grocer supermarket, pleaded guilty at the same court to selling the Sweet Meadow New Zealand Wild Flower Honey 500g at an unreasonably high price.

The company was said to have increased its profit margin by raising the price from 28.90 ringgit on January 6 to 43.99 ringgit on May 6 last year. Both prices were inclusive of the Goods and Services Tax.

(US$1 = 4 ringgit)

The company was slapped with a 30,000 ringgit fine, in default a month’s jail.

Both Gopinath and Ting paid the fines.

(US$1 = 4 ringgit)