AN ELDERLY man who slapped a non-Muslim for eating at a convenience store in the daytime during Ramadan pled guilty at the Johor Bahru Magistrate Court this morning.
However, the court rejected the guilty plea as the accused Abdul Razak Ismail, 65, did not agree to the facts of the case as read out by the court interpreter.
Following that, Magistrate A Shaarmini rejected the guilty plea and ordered the senior citizen to appoint a lawyer to defend himself.
However, in a turn of events, deputy public prosecutor, Nur Fatihah Mohd. Nizam said she had received instructions for the case to be referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers.
The magistrate then ordered the case to be DNAA and for the accused to be charged at a later date.
The charge under Section 323 of the Penal Code is for voluntarily causing hurt and carries up to two years imprisonment, a RM2,000 fine or both if convicted.
Johor police chief M Kumar had earlier said that police had recorded his statement and one from his son and witnesses, to help complete the investigation.
Police also got a statement from the doctor before the investigation paper was referred to the deputy public prosecutor.
It was earlier reported that the non-Muslim man was slapped in Johor while eating in public during Ramadan.
X user known as @bingbinge656, - Elijah was allegedly asked to show his MyKad by the man who approached him while he was eating.
Elijah refused and the man then asked him if he was a Muslim and was angry that he was eating during Ramadan.
"I stressed that I was not a Muslim and despite that he hit me several times," he said.
Elijah said the man's son then stepped in and de-escalated the situation and also apologised for his father's actions.
Netizens, who were enraged by the incident urged Elijah to lodge a police report over the incident.
Two videos lasting 32 seconds and 44 seconds on the alleged incident have since gone viral on social media.
National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang described it as a provocative act which did not reflect the spirit of unity and harmony in a multiracial country, said
He said such actions must be stopped immediately as they violate the principles of the Rukun Negara. – March 19, 2025
