KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — Six men and a teenager pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court here today to causing a riot at a shopping mall here, as seen in video footage which went viral recently.
Haikal Izwaanfazeede Razak, 29; Muhammad Johan Perumal, 34; Muhammad Farid’ Izzat Dzulkafli, 23; Muhammad Yadiy Na’im Dzulkafli, 27; Ismail Arif Haron, 31; Muhammad Dzulhakim Dzulkafli, 21; and a boy under 18 made the confession after the charges against them were read out before Magistrate Tawfiq Affandy Chin.
The court imposed an RM800 fine on Haikal Izwaanfazeede; Muhammad Johan; Muhammad Farid ‘Izzat; Muhammad Yadiy; Ismail Arif and Muhammad Dzulhakim and ordered all six of them to serve a month in jail if they failed to pay the fine.
However, the court did not impose a sentence on the minor while awaiting a report from the Social Welfare Department (JKM), allowing him bail at RM1,500 in one surety and set Feb 8, 2021, for mention of the case.
Magistrate Tawfiq Affandy also advised all of them not to be overcome by emotion and act irrationally, as such incidents could cause an embarrassment and affect the country’s image.
“Incidents like this will scare tourists…By right, this (sort of action) should be avoided, and you should have left the place and filed a police report instead,” he said.
All the men who were employees at the mall when making the plea said they committed the offence out of anger and frustration over not being able to secure enough customers during the conditional movement control order (CMCO).
They also apologised and promised not to repeat the offence.
The seven of them were charged with fighting in a public place and disturbing public order at Plaza Low Yat, Jalan Bulan, Off Jalan Bukit Bintang here at 5pm, Dec 4, according to Section 160 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of six months, or a fine not exceeding RM1,000, or both.
On Dec 4, several video clips that went viral on social media showed a group of men fighting in front of a shopping mall, which then continued inside the premises. — Bernama