BUTTERWORTH, Dec 30 — Two women, including a minor, and a male Myanmar national were jointly charged at the Sessions Court here today with migrant smuggling earlier this month, while another individual linked to the case remains at large.

The accused, Umi Kalsom Abidin, 29, and a 17-year-old girl, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to them before Judge Roslan Hamid. No charge was read to the foreign national, Kyaw Zin Lin, 19, as the court did not have an interpreter. 

They were jointly charged with smuggling five Myanmar nationals in the car park opposite Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Bukit Mertajam at 6.40 pm on Dec 2.

Charged under Section 26A of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, the four individuals face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a fine, or both, upon conviction. 

Deputy public prosecutor Siti Nur Amalina Harun appeared for the prosecution, while Kyaw Zin Lin was represented by counsel K Puvirajan. Umi Kalsom and the juvenile female were unrepresented.

Siti Nur Amalina offered no objection to bail and requested a new date to secure the attendance of a Myanmar interpreter. The court subsequently set Jan 13 for the next case mention. — Bernama