A VIETNAMESE man pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court today to five charges, including attempting to harm an 11-month-old baby with a knife, during a violent incident at a local supermarket last month.
Nguyen Minh Hoa, aged 36, admitted to all charges after they were read to him in Vietnamese by a court interpreter before Magistrate Aini Adilah Muhammad Faizal.
According to the charge sheet, Nguyen intentionally caused injury to two men—one Malaysian and one Nepalese—using a knife at the Billion Telaga Air Supermarket at approximately 1pm on 9 August. He also admitted to attempting to injure a baby boy, aged 11 months, during the same incident.
All three charges fall under Section 324 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 511, which pertains to causing hurt with a dangerous weapon and attempted offences.
For the fourth charge, Nguyen confessed to stealing seafood and poultry—including prawns, red crabs, clams, a type of mackerel, and chicken—worth RM180 from the same supermarket at around 12.35pm on the same day. This charge was brought under Section 380 of the Penal Code, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine, or whipping.
The final charge relates to immigration offences. Nguyen admitted to overstaying his visit pass, which expired on 18 October 2024, by nine months and 22 days. He failed to provide any valid reason for remaining in the country illegally. This offence is punishable under Section 15(4) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
Prosecuting officer Assistant Superintendent Nor Aziah Hasan led the prosecution. The accused was unrepresented.
During mitigation, Nguyen pleaded for leniency, requesting a lighter sentence and a fine. He told the court, “I have three young children, and my father has passed away.”
The court fined him RM20,000 for the three charges involving assault and attempted injury. Failure to pay will result in a 23-month custodial sentence.
For the theft and immigration offences, Nguyen was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment.
Nguyen had first appeared before the same court last month, but proceedings were adjourned to allow the presence of a Vietnamese interpreter.
Police reports at the time stated that a man had behaved aggressively before fleeing the supermarket on Jalan Telaga Air with stolen seafood. During the incident, he allegedly grabbed an infant from his mother’s arms while brandishing a knife, causing bruises to the child’s back. - September 9, 2025
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