KAJANG – The actions of two men who donned uniforms emblazoned with the Malaysian coat of arms and Royal Malaysian Police ranks that went viral on social media recently has resulted in them being fined RM5,500 and RM500 by two magistrates’ courts here yesterday.
Roshazreel Roslan, who is the president of the Malaysian Drugs and Crime Prevention Organisation NGO, was fined RM5,000 in default of a month’s jail for displaying the Malaysian coat of arms and police ranks.
Meanwhile, for the offence of wearing the uniforms to insinuate that they were personnel carrying out police duty, he and another member of the NGO, Usmaluddin Shah Kamalsjah, were each fined RM500 in default of a months’ jail.
Magistrates Muhammad Noor Firdaus Rosli and Syahrul Sazly Md Sain sentenced the two after they pleaded guilty.
In front of Noor Firdaus, Roshazreel, 46, was charged with owning a uniform displaying the coat of arms and police rank without authorisation, and using it here at 1pm on January 29.
The charge was filed under Section 3 (1)(a) of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act 1963, and punishable under Section 5 of the same act, which carries a maximum fine of RM20,000 or a maximum of three years imprisonment, or both.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Hairuliqram Hairuddin had earlier requested a deterrent sentence as the accused should be aware of the law.
The accused, however, pleaded for a lenient sentence as his income had been reduced during the movement control order (MCO) and he is supporting his wife and 16-year-old child.
Meanwhile, in front of Sazly, both men were charged with wearing the uniforms without authorisation from a commanding officer at the same location, time and date.
The offence was committed under Section 89 (c) of the Police Act 1967 and punishable by a maximum fine of RM500 or a maximum of six years’ imprisonment, or both.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Nur Liyana Mohd Sulaiman requested for a deterrent sentence to serve as a lesson to the accused, taking into consideration that it is a serious offence that could confuse the public and threaten the good image of the police, in addition to the case having gone viral on social media.
On January 29, the complainant (police personnel) at the Kajang district police headquarters’ Prevention and Community Safety Division office received a message on WhatsApp regarding two men wearing the uniforms patrolling here without police supervision.
Further investigations revealed they were wearing the uniforms to conduct patrols without police authorisation. – Bernama, February 6, 2021
