AN irate man allegedly triggered a physical altercation after being reprimanded for smoking in a restaurant in Section 13, Shah Alam, last Thursday.
The incident occurred at approximately 11.50pm, when the suspect, reportedly displeased at being told off by a restaurant worker and a couple seated nearby, reacted aggressively. Shah Alam District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim said a report was lodged the following afternoon at 1.45pm after a video of the incident began circulating on social media.
According to the complainant, who is eight months pregnant, she and her husband were dining at the restaurant when they noticed the man smoking at a nearby table.
“Initial investigations revealed that the complainant, being heavily pregnant, was understandably concerned about the health implications of second-hand smoke on herself and her unborn child,” said Mohd Iqbal in a statement issued today.
She and her husband first requested that the restaurant staff advise the man to stop smoking, but he allegedly ignored the warning. The husband then personally confronted the man three times, but his appeals were similarly dismissed.
“It was on the third occasion that the suspect abruptly stood up and approached their table,” said Mohd Iqbal.
The complainant claimed the man then blew cigarette smoke in her direction, prompting her husband to intervene. Fearing her husband might be harmed, she began recording the incident with her phone for safety and as potential evidence.
“A verbal altercation ensued, during which the suspect swatted the complainant’s hand, causing the phone to fall,” he said.
The confrontation then escalated into a brief physical exchange involving shoving, before the suspect left the premises.
The Shah Alam District Police’s Criminal Investigation Division later conducted a site investigation and confirmed the existence of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage capturing the dispute.
“CCTV footage confirms a verbal and physical altercation. The suspect has been identified and efforts to trace him are currently underway,” said Mohd Iqbal.
A police report has been filed under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, and the case is also being investigated under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act for indecent behaviour, which carries a fine not exceeding RM100.
Members of the public with additional information are urged to contact Investigating Officer Sergeant Rafiah Isa at 012-3770327. - September 15, 2025
