MALACCA: An unemployed man was sentenced to three months in jail by the magistrates court here on a charge of violating the Movement Control Order yesterday.
According to the charge, Mohamad Saiful Bahari Mohamad, 32, committed an offence under Regulation 3(1)(b) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, punishable under Regulation 7(1) of the same regulation, which carries a fine of up to RM1,000 or up to six months’ jail or both, if convicted.
The native of Tanah Merah, Kelantan, was charged with committing the offence at the Tesco supermarket on Jalan Panglima here at 7.05pm yesterday.
According to the facts of the case, security guard Dayang Azura Sufri, 33, who was on duty during the time of the incident, was approached by the accused who informed her that he wanted to enter the supermarket to buy water.
Dayang Azura explained that the supermarket’s operating hours were only from 7am to 7pm, but Mohamad Saiful Bahari refused to follow the directive and acted aggressively by slapping the security guard.
In the same court but on a separate charge, Mohamad Saiful Bahari was sentenced to six months in jail for injuring Dayang Azura by slapping her on the left cheek and causing a bruise.
The accused was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to one year, or a maximum fine of RM2,000 or both, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Puteri Nor Nadia Mohamed Iqbal requested the court to impose a deterrent sentence against the accused to serve as a lesson, and to also remind the public of the importance of complying with the Movement Control Order imposed by the government to contain Covid-19.
In his ruling, magistrate Mohamad Izwan Mohamed Noh said during this trying time, public interest was more important than that of individuals.
He said the public should seriously obey the instructions of the government announced from time-to-time during the imposition of the Movement Control Order.
Mohamad Izwan ordered the jail sentences to run concurrently from the date of arrest. The accused was unrepresented. - Bernama
