PETALING JAYA: Actress Zarina Zainuddin (pic) slapped away a reporter’s phone on her way out of court after paying RM17,500 in fines upon pleading guilty to six counts of owning and selling cosmetic products without notifying the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) in January.
“Tak suka lah (I don’t like it),” she said, as she slapped away a mobile phone belonging to a reporter who was trying to take her photo.
This caused a small commotion.
Earlier, Zarina, 48, had pleaded guilty after all six charges were read to her in front of magistrate M. Bharat at the Magistrate’s Court here on Wednesday (Oct 2).
According to the first charge, Zarina, as the director of Addura Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd, sold a cosmetic set made up of one box of Addura Black Soap, one box of Addura Day Cream 7g, and one box of Addura Night Cream 7g, all of which the NPRA had not been given notification beforehand, at a premises in Subang Jaya on Jan 9,2019.
The second to sixth charges said she was found to be in possession of three cosmetic sets made up of one box of Addura Black Soap, one box of Addura Day Cream 7g, and one box of Addura Night Cream 7g; 68 boxes of Addura Black Soap, 279 boxes of Addura Day Cream 7g (white label); 89 boxes of Addura Day Cream 7g (pink label); and 205 boxes of Addura Day Cream 10ml, all of which the NPRA had also not been notified of, at a premises in Subang Jaya on Jan 9,2019.
Her actions violated Regulation 18A (1) of the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations; and are an offence under Regulation 18A (15) of the same regulation. They are offences liable for punishment under Section 12(2) of the Sale of Drugs Act 1952, which upon conviction carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 for the first offence and a maximum fine of RM100,000 for the second offence.
Clad in a floral-patterned hijab, pink blouse and matching trousers, the actress was seen crying silently as the charges were read out to her.
Zarina, who was unrepresented, asked for a lighter sentence, saying that the company would cease its operations.
“I am planning to shut down the company, and now I have moved on to another business venture,” she said.
However, Selangor Pharmacy Enforcement Division prosecuting officer Ong Sally asked for a sentence that was appropriate for the offence.
Ong said that this was not Zarina’s first offence, adding that the sentence should take into account the safety of the public.
“When a cosmetic product has not been notified with the NPRA, we don’t know what the ingredients are and this could pose a public health risk,” she said.
She paid the fines before leaving the court. -The Star