GEORGE TOWN: A 64-year-old company director was sentenced to two years' jail and fined RM600,000 yesterday for criminal breach of trust of RM438,029.

Ooi Meng Sua of Pulau Langkawi was found guilty by the Sessions Court of three counts of criminal breach of trust of several United Malayan Banking Corporation cheques.

Ooi committed the offences at the Mesbol Beach Resort at Jalan Zainal Abidin here between August 1995 and January 1996.

In her judgment, judge Hadhariah Syed Ismail said Ooi, as a director, should have looked after the interest of his company and not take money for his own use.

Ooi was charged with criminal breach of trust of:
- RM259,329 by issuing four company cheques to Yoong Tsen Construction Bhd as payment for the construction of his house;

- RM159,700 by issuing three cheques for his personal use; and

- RM64,000 as debt payment to a fisheries company.

He was sentenced to two years' jail and fined RM300,000 or one- year jail for the first offence, two years' jail and fined RM200,000 or one-year jail for the second offence and two years' jail and RM100,000 fine or one-year jail for the third offence.

Hadhariah ordered the jail sentences to run concurrently.

She, however, granted Ooi a stay of execution pending appeal and raised his bail from RM48,000 to RM58,000. Ooi posted bail.