[ad_1]
IPOH: An unemployed man was fined RM3,000 by the Magistrates Court here today after he was found guilty of humiliating a grocery store employee by uttering abusive words and spitting on him.
Magistrate Noor Azreen Liana Mohd Darus sentenced M Gunalan, 47, of Taman Rasi Jaya here after he pleaded guilty to uttering abusive words and spitting on Nor Asni Zilzawani Mohd Zahid, who had reminded him to comply with the SOPs established in the conditional motion control order (CMCO).
Gunalan was charged with committing the crime in a grocery store on Lahat Baru 2 here at 8.40pm last Monday under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which tries to insult the modesty of any individual. Violators can be jailed for up to five years, fined, or both upon conviction.
The court also ordered that Gunalan be jailed for four months if he did not pay the fine. He paid the fine.
Earlier, Deputy Prosecutor Nur Asmaniza Mohammad asked the court to impose an appropriate penalty because his actions altered interracial sensitivity.
In mitigation, the former fish seller, represented by attorney Robert S Gnanarajan, asked for clemency, saying he was no longer employed due to Covid-19 and regretted his actions.
