Elderly Man Charged Again With Slapping Non-Muslim Student After Technical Issue In Court
The Attorney-General's Chambers has clarified the matter.
By May Vin Ang — 20 Mar 2025, 10:34 AM
An elderly man accused of slapping a non-Muslim student for eating in public during Ramadan has been charged again yesterday, 19 March, at the Johor Bahru Magistrate's Court
According to the New Straits Times, Abdul Razak Ismail pleaded not guilty after an amended charge was read out to him before Magistrate A Shaarmini.
Earlier, the 65-year-old retired civil servant was granted a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) after the prosecution sought to refer the case to the Attorney-General's Chambers in Putrajaya. At the time, he had pleaded guilty.
In the amended charge, Abdul Razak is accused of voluntarily causing hurt to Elijah Ling Zhao Zhong, 21, on the first floor of a shopping mall in Tampoi at around 6.15 pm on Sunday, 16 March
He is charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutors Nor Afiqah Musa and Nur Fatihah Mohd Nizam led the prosecution, while Abdul Razak was represented by lawyer Mohd Salleh Togimin.
The prosecution initially proposed an RM8,000 bail, but the defence argued that the amount was excessive, considering the accused is a pensioner supporting three children, including one still in university.
The magistrate later set bail at RM2,000 with one surety, with the next case mention scheduled for 29 April for document submission.
In a statement, the Attorney-General's Chambers clarified that there were technical issues with the charge filed against the accused in the earlier proceedings yesterday
Attorney General Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar assured that the matter had been resolved, and the accused would be recharged in the same court later that afternoon.
"The Attorney-General's Chambers is committed to ensuring that all parties receive proper justice in accordance with the provisions of the law," he stated.
