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KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — An Instagram couple, whose pictures of embarking on interstate travel for a honeymoon trip went viral on social media, were each sentenced to one day in jail and fined RM2,500 by the Magistrate’s Court here, today, for giving false statement to the police last month.
Magistrate Wong Chai Sia meted out the punishment to Iram Naz Hafiz Sabir Muhammed, 25, and her husband, Azharique Shah Abdul Jalil, 23, who pleaded guilty to committing the offence at the Wangsa Maju police station, on March 15.
The court also ordered that the jail sentence start today, and the couple will be jailed for another one month if they fail to pay the fine. The couple paid the fine.
The couple, who sell henna-based products, were jointly charged with giving a false statement to Wangsa Maju police chief ASP Fairul Nizam Anuar, when applying for an interstate travel permit to Johor under the conditional movement control order (CMCO), while they knew that the information given was not true.
They were charged under Section 22 (d) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Act 1988, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, and punished under Section 24 of the same act, carrying imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine or both.
Earlier, both accused, who were unrepresented, appealed for punishment in the form of a minimum fine on the grounds that they were their family breadwinners.
“We appeal not to be punished by imprisonment. We deeply regret our action and promise not to make the same mistake,” said Iram Naz.
Wong said that their actions set a bad example to the community for abusing the relaxation given for interstate travel. — Bernama