Man who slapped guard who stopped him from entering supermarket jailed

Mohamad Saiful Bahari Mohamad was jailed three months for defying the MCO and six months for slapping the female guard implementing the order. (Bernama pic)

MELAKA: An unemployed man was sentenced to three months’ jail by the Magistrate’s 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.

Security guard Dayang Azura Sufri, 33, who was on duty at the time of the incident, was approached by Saiful, 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 Saiful Bahari refused to follow the directive and acted aggressively by slapping the guard.

In the same court, but on a separate charge, the same man was sentenced to six months’ 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 MCO imposed by the government to contain the spread of 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 MCO.

Izwan ordered the jail sentences to run concurrently from the date of arrest. The accused was unrepresented. - FMT