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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
Two company directors and two employers were fined $78,500 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (March 3), after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 485).
Chan Chau Bun and Yeung Kwai Leung, directors of Flame Construction Company Limited, were charged for offences under section 7A(8) and section 44 of the ordinance. The defendants each pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution period between February and June 2008. The defendants were fined $7,000 for each of the summonses, totalling $35,000. The two defendants were fined $70,000 in total.
Yeung Ka Lai trading as Yat Sing Travel Company pleaded guilty to an offence under section 7(1) of the ordinance. The defendant was fined $7,500 for the summons for failing to enrol an employee in MPF schemes as required by the ordinance.
Good Policy International Limited was charged for an offence under section 7A(8) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of failing to make MPF contributions for one employee within the prescribed time for the contribution period in April 2008. The defendant was fined $1,000 for the summons.
Meanwhile, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today also pursued four claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $61,000 on behalf of 27 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
At the Tribunal's hearing today, one of the defendants, Shopping Korea Limited, did not dispute the amount claimed. The adjudicator ordered it to pay the MPFA the sums of $406.09, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other three defendants, China Way International Logistics Limited, Both Fine Limited and Lik Ki Logistics (International) Limited, did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $34,652.18, $15,762.8 and $10,240, 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 also ordered the respective defendants to pay $46, $266, $106 and $166 as the costs in respect of the claims.
Ends/Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:46
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