A popular Malaysian dessert chain, Bubblebee was fined RM17,500 by the Magistrate Court in Shah Alam for arrears in SOCSO (Social Security Organisation) contributions.
Both founders, Shuib, a Malaysian comedian and host, and Kho Choon Guan pleaded guilty and were fined a total of RM17,500 by Magistrate Ameera Mastura after the charges were read out to them.
If both fail to pay the fine, they will be facing jail time of 2 months. However, the court has allowed them to make 6 instalments for the arrears in SOCSO contributions, reported Sinar Harian and Utusan.
Based on the charges, the company pleaded guilty to 3 charges for failing to pay employer and employee contributions to SOCSO, involving a 25-year-old man, amounting to RM97.80 for the period from October to December 2023.
In addition, the 4th to 6th charges showed that Bubblebee failed to pay a total contribution of RM17.40 for the same man for the same three months, in accordance with Section 18(1) of the Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800) and Regulation 9(1) of the Employment Insurance System (Registration and Contributions) Regulations 2017.
As for the 7th charge, Bubblebee was accused of failing to comply with a summons under Section 110(1) of the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 at the SOCSO office in Selangor, at 11 AM on January 10.
In November 2023, Shuib spoke up after his company went viral for not paying the workers’ EPF, and said that he had spoken to officers from KWSP, who had agreed to allow him to pay the arrears gradually. The matter initially circulated after Bubblebee which is said to have made RM150 million in sales in its first 3 years did not pay workers’ EPF for months.
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Also read: M’sian Company Skips EPF Payment For Months, Employees Report & KWSP Officers Come Knocking
