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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
Two scheme members of Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Scheme were today (September 7) fined a total of $14,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy for breaching section 43E(1) of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (the "Ordinance") by making a false and misleading statement in a document submitted to the approved MPF trustee.
The defendant, Lau Chuen, was charged with the offence under Section 43E(1) of the Ordinance for making false and misleading statement to the trustee and was fined $7,000.
While the defendant, Pun Kin Hon, was charged with the offence under Section 43E(1) of the Ordinance for making false and misleading statement to the trustee and was fined $7,000.
According to the prosecution, the defendants applied to their trustees on March 18, 2009 and February 25, 2008, respectively, for early withdrawal of their MPF accrued benefits on the grounds of permanent departure. Investigations by the MPFA found that the defendants had provided false and misleading statements in claiming that they had not previously claimed payment of accrued benefits on the grounds of permanent departure on an earlier departure date.
The MPFA today pursued eight claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for about $130,000 on behalf of 12 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
Three defendants, Chong Fat Food Products Limited, Cantreelly Garment Factory Limited and Leung Ping Kan trading as Luen Fung Transportation Co., did not dispute the amounts claimed. The Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $42,263.24, $39,273.18 and $22,467.48, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other five defendants, Newcastle Advertising Limited, Winfame (Hong Kong) Limited, Sun Harvest (Hong Kong) Limited, Ng Wai Hung & Chan Kam Kau trading as Wan On Interior Design and Hoi Shun Transportation Limited, did not appear. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $12,782.86, $4,620, $3,533.41, $3,250 and $2,562.08, 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 ordered the defendants to pay respective costs of $235, $203, $149, $135, $105, $112, $196 and $131.
Hoi Shun Transportation Limited pleaded guilty previously at Kwun Tong Magistracy to 15 counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and was fined $15,000.
Ends/Monday, September 7, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:58
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