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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
An officer and four employers were fined a total of $140,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (March 7) after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (the "Ordinance").
Sandy Liu Siu Ping, an officer of Fila Watches & Accessories Limited (BR no: 17819317), was charged with offences under sections 7A(8) and 44 of the Ordinance and pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods from March to July 2010. The defendant was fined $4,000 for one of the summonses and $3,000 for each of the remaining four summonses, totalling $16,000.
Fila Watches & Accessories Limited was charged with offences under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance and pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods from March to July 2010. The defendant was fined $4,000 for one of the summonses and $3,000 for each of the remaining four summonses, totalling $16,000.
Nam Tai Security Company Limited (BR no: 10133722) was charged with offences under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance and pleaded guilty to 14 counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between April 2008 and June 2010. The defendant was fined $3,000 for each of seven summonses, $5,000 for each of six summonses and $4,000 for the remaining summons, totalling $55,000.
Nam Tai Security Company Limited was also charged with offences under section 7AA(7) of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to four counts of failing to make MPF contributions to the MPFA for an employee who was not a member of a registered scheme within the prescribed time for the contribution periods from December 2009 to March 2010. The defendant was fined $4,000 for each of two summonses and $5,000 for each of the remaining two summonses, totalling $18,000.
Chi Ming Meat Company Limited (BR no.: 33819157) was charged with offences under section 43E(1) of the Ordinance for making false or misleading statements. The defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of misreporting the "relevant income" of an employee to a trustee. The defendant was fined $3,000 for each summons, totalling $6,000.
Chi Ming Meat Company Limited was also charged with offences under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance and pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution periods from April to November 2008. The defendant was fined $2,000 for each of seven summonses and $3,000 for the remaining summons, totalling $17,000.
Strategic Alliance Electronics International Limited (BR no: 35837187) was charged with offences under section 7AA(7) of the Ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to make MPF contributions to the MPFA for an employee who was not a member of a registered scheme within the prescribed time for the contribution periods from February to April 2010. The defendant was fined $3,000 for each summons, totalling $9,000.
Strategic Alliance Electronics International Limited was also charged with an offence under section 7A(8) of the Ordinance and pleaded guilty to a count of failing to make MPF contributions for an employee within the prescribed time for the contribution period in May 2010. The defendant was fined $3,000 for the summons.
Meanwhile, the MPFA successfully pursued four claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $70,000 on behalf of 10 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
At the Tribunal's hearings today, the defendant, Tan Pround Secretary Limited, did not dispute the amounts claimed. The Adjudicator ordered it to pay the MPFA $30,036.24, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other three defendants, namely Megatronic Systems Limited, Blue Bay Time Limited and Learning Plus Co., Limited trading as Lime Education Centre, did not appear. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $24,517.6, $14,255.16 and $1,708.87 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The amounts awarded will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The Adjudicator ordered the defendants to pay $142, $136, $96 and $100 respectively as the costs of the claims.
Ends/Monday, March 7, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:01
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