Now, roasted wild boar seller in Sabah hit with RM50,000 fine

 

Rayner Longtin’s stall along Jalan Sulaman in Kota Kinabalu. (Facebook pic)

KOTA KINABALU: After the controversy over three food stall operators being issued with a RM50,000 compound fine in Kelantan, a food stall operator in Sabah has found himself in a similar situation.

This time, it involves a man who sells roasted wild boar, better known locally as “sinalau bakas”, along Jalan Sulaman here.

Rayner Longtin, 32, said the incident happened around 10pm on Monday when operations at his stall had already ceased.

“All my items had been kept in the store, including the MySejahtera QR code, thermometer and customer attendance notebook.

“At that time, some customers were still in the stall but had already registered before eating there.

“My two friends were waiting to send me home but I couldn’t leave yet because of the customers at the stall,” he told FMT.

The compound fine issued to Rayner Longtin. (Facebook pic)

Rayner said that several policemen suddenly came and asked him to take out the MySejahtera QR code, thermometer and customer attendance notebook.

“They had the right to ask me to do that but I didn’t know the purpose as my stall was already closed.

“I was shocked when they issued a notice demanding that I pay a compound fine of RM50,000. My two friends were also issued notices indicating a RM10,000 fine each.”

He said the five or six customers eating at his stall were not issued any summonses because they had already scanned the MySejahtera QR code.

Rayner questioned why the police had issued such a high fine.

“Was it right for them to do so? Where do I find RM50,000 and where would my two friends find RM10,000 in such a short period of time?

“The stall is my only source of income.”

Despite all this, Rayner was thankful that there were caring individuals who had come forward to help him and his two friends appeal for the fine to be reduced and to settle it as well.

“RM50,000 is no small amount. Even RM500 is a big amount for me, let alone RM50,000 or RM10,000. Now, with the pandemic, it is hard to earn a living.

“If I can’t bear all this stress, I could even be driven to suicide,” he said. - FMT