KUALA LUMPUR – The 69-year-old man who was caught in a scuffle with a Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) officer during a stray dog capture operation last week will be charged in court on Friday.
Confirming the matter in a message to media members today, Petaling Jaya district police chief Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said that the man will be charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing public servants in the discharge of their functions.
If convicted, the man faces a jail term of up to two years, a maximum fine of RM10,000, or both.
In a message to the media, Fakhrudin said that no charges under Section 323 for causing hurt will be brought against the MBPJ officer involved in the case.
Last weekend, Fakhrudin said that the man did not cooperate during the dog-catching operation on March 22, resulting in a tussle between the staffer and man, which saw the man hit with a catching pole.
“MBPJ officers were unable to carry out their duties to catch the stray dogs,” he said.
The man subsequently lodged a police report on March 24. In the report shared with The Vibes, the man said when he attempted to protect his pet dogs from the officers, one of them had hit him with the pole, causing him to suffer a swollen jaw.
It was previously reported that a resident who witnessed the incident had taken to social media to pan the 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. – The Vibes, March 29, 2023
