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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
A company director and four employers were fined a total of $59,300 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (October 6), after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 485).
Cheung Yiu Tung, director of Johnson Transportation (China) Company Limited, was charged with offences under sections 7A(2)a, 7A(8) and 44 of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to 12 counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee from the employer's own funds to the relevant registered scheme for 12 contribution periods between July 2006 and November 2007. The defendant was fined $1,200 for each summons - a total of $14,400. The defendant also pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution period between March and April 2008. The defendant was fined a total of $2,000.
Johnson Transportation (China) Company Limited was charged under sections 7A(2)a and 7A(8) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to 12 counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee from the employer's own funds to the relevant registered scheme for 12 contribution periods between December, 2004, and June, 2006. The defendant was fined $1,200 for each summons, totalling $14,400. The defendant also pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution period between December 2007 and February 2008 and was fined a total of $3,000.
Painting International Beauty Limited was charged under section 7A(8) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to 13 counts of failing to make MPF contributions for two employees within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between May 2007 and February 2008, and March and May 2008. The defendant was fined $1,500 for each summons - a total of $19,500.
Met Kitchen Limited trading as Tak Bo Association was charged under section 7A(8) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods of August, October and November 2007. The defendant was fined $1,000 for each summons.
Leung Pui Sau trading as Cheung Fung Multi Media pleaded guilty to an offence under section 7(1) of the Ordinance, and was fined $3,000 for failing to enrol an employee in MPF scheme as required by the ordinance.
The MPFA today pursued three claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for about $55,000 on behalf of four employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
At the tribunal's hearing, defendants Ho Wai Fong and Ho Chiu Ming trading as Kin Hing Printing Press, did not dispute the amount claimed. The Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $10,264.12, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other two defendants, Wong Wai Keung trading as Wai Tai Transportation Co and Elique Limited, did not appear and in their absence were ordered to pay the MPFA $39,590.50 and $5,631.99, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The amounts awarded at the tribunal will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The tribunal further ordered the respective defendants to pay costs of $100, $160 and $80.
Ends/Monday, October 6, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:35
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