JOHOR BARU, April 22 — A frozen food supply company director and manager pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here, today, to being involved in the so-called meat cartel scandal.

The accused, LY Frozen Food Sdn Bhd director Yong Chee Keong, 40, and the company’s manager Chong Kim Kuang, 48, were separately charged with abetment and possession of prohibited goods worth RM643,465.39 on December 15 last year.

Yong claimed trial after the charge was read simultaneously with the charge against the company before Judge Wan Mohd Nor Hisham Wan Yaakob.

Meanwhile, Chong, who acted as the company’s manager, also claimed trial before judge Ahmad Fuad Othman in a separate court.

Yong, who represented the company and himself, was hit with four charges along with another individual who is still at large. The suspect was identified as Tan Siew Huak, 42.

Meanwhile, Chong, as the manager of the company, faces four charges and is accused of colluding with LY Frozen Food, Yong and Tan over possession of the prohibited goods.

Both are accused of committing the offense at No. 663, Jalan 3/4, Desa Idaman Industrial Estate in Senai, Kulai on 15 December last year.

The first charge involved various frozen food items worth RM488,973.91 stored at the premises, while the other three charges involved the same items stored in three different lorries worth RM154,491.48.

Both were charged under Section 135 (1) (d) of the Customs Act 1966 which provides for a fine of no less than 10 times and no more than 20 times the value of imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.

The court then set bail at RM100,000 for Yong with one surety, along with the additional condition of reporting to the nearest police station twice a month.

Meanwhile, the court also set bail at RM60,000 for Chong with two sureties as well as an additional condition to report to the nearest police station twice a month.

The court then set June 3 for the submission of documents for the charges.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutors, Jasmee Hameeza Jaafar and Nur Suriati Mohamad, while all the accused were represented by lawyers Zamri Idrus, Ridzuan Othman and Saifuz Zaman Abd Rahman.