[UPDATED] 69-year-old pleads not guilty to obstructing MBPJ officer in dog-catching op

PETALING JAYA – An elderly man who allegedly prevented Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) officers from carrying out their duties during a dog-catching operation has pleaded not guilty at the magistrates’ court here today.

Patrick Khoo Khian Wui, 69, denied the charge against him after it was read before magistrate Shahril Anuar Ahmad Mustapa.

The charge stated that Khoo was accused of deliberately hindering the officer, Azizul Azzim Norehan, from performing his job during the incident on March 22.

The incident also saw a scuffle between the two, with Khoo sustaining injuries to his jaw and arm after being hit with a catching pole.

Khoo was charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing public servants in the discharge of their functions.

If found guilty, Khoo faces a jail term of up to two years, a maximum fine of RM10,000, or both.

Shahril also set bail at RM2,000, with one surety and set the case for mention on June 16.

Deputy public prosecutor Farhanah Fuad appeared for the prosecution while the accused was represented by lawyers Rajsurian Pillai and Tay Chee Fu.

Prior to the magistrate setting the bail amount, Farhanah had requested that the court set bail at RM5,000, which was opposed by the accused’s lawyers.

Requesting the bail to be set at the maximum of RM1,000, Rajsurian argued that bail management must consider the legal doctrine that an accused is innocent until proven guilty.

He also highlighted how Khoo, who is self-employed, has willingly complied with investigative efforts by police probing into the case.

It was previously reported that a resident who witnessed the incident had taken to social media to pan the enforcement officers for their alleged heavy-handedness, with videos of the incident sparking outrage among netizens and rights groups.

MBPJ had also announced that an internal investigation committee had been set up to probe into the incident.

However, Petaling Jaya district police chief Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said on Wednesday that no charges under Section 323 of the Penal Code will be brought against Azizul for his apparent role in the altercation.

Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung had subsequently expressed his solidarity with Khoo, asserting that the incident “exposed procedural flaws” in MBPJ’s stray animal management. – The Vibes, March 31, 2023