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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
Two employers and two company directors were fined $53,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (7 April) after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance.
Nam Cheong Hong Stationery Package Limited was charged for an offence under section 43E of the ordinance for making false or misleading statements. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of under-reporting an employee's relevant income for the contribution period between August and October 2007. The defendant was fined $4,000 for the first summons and $2,500 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $9,000.
Chin Cheong Toys Limited was charged for an offence under section 7A(8) of the ordinance. The defendant pleaded guilty to eight counts of failing to make MPF contributions for its employee within the prescribed time for eight contribution periods between May 2003 and March 2007. The defendant was fined $6,000 for the first summons and $2,000 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $20,000.
Cheng Pui Yin and Cheng Hiu Yin, directors of Chin Cheong Toys 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 October 2006 and February 2007. The defendants were each fined $4,000 for the first summons and $2,000 each for the remaining summonses, totalling $12,000. The two directors were fined $24,000 in total.
Meanwhile, the MPFA today also pursued 17 claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $280,000 on behalf of 75 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
At the tribunal's hearing today, the seven defendants, namely Expeditor Limited trading as Everlasting Photo Finish Company, Wong Kwok Keung & Kwok Chor Ping & So Po Kam formerly trading as Nice Restaurant, Ng Lo Ming Jessica & Tam Wai Hung Danny trading as Uncle Toby Professional Pet Grooming, Multi Tone Hong Kong Development Limited trading as Man Ho Seafood Restaurant, Yeung Chun Hung formerly trading as Tong Sum Restaurant, Hoi On Security Company Limited and Tung Fong Roasted Meat Wholesale Limited, did not dispute the amounts claimed. The adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $34,742.04, $34,335, $20,049.23, $13,960.82, $9,432.41, $9,027.79 and $5,858.77, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other 10 defendants, namely Lee Tak Fuk Trading Co Ltd, Everwell Auto-Service & Engineering Limited, Lek Hang (International) Limited trading as Fu Wing Trading Company, Honest League Limited trading as Lai Chun Court Restaurant (translation), Stellar Megamedia (HK) Limited, Ever Sparkle Industrial Co. Limited, Supply Chain & Logistics Technology Limited, Pacific Wide Holdings Limited, Tung Teck Hing Foods Limited and Happy Village Caf Limited, did not appear at today¡¯s hearing. In their absence, the adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $44,177.03, $27,442.39, $24,338.74, $21,455, $11,340, $10,042.72, $7,007.97, $5,010.87, $4,266.26 and $359.1, 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 further ordered the respective defendants to pay $170, $280, $200, $90, $210, $145, $96, $296, $202, $196, $215, $100, $108, $184, $124, $156 and $76 as the costs in respect of the claims.
Hoi On Security Company Limited pleaded guilty previously at Kwun Tong Magistracy to one count of failing to enroll its employee in an MPF scheme as required by the ordinance and was fined $8,000.
Ends/Monday, April 7, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:42
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