AMPANG: A Vietnamese man was told off by a magistrate for disrespecting the country's law by committing mischief and damaging an e-hailing driver's Honda City earlier this month.
Magistrate Amalina Basirah Md Top, before sentencing Vo Dinh Dong, 40, said: "You are in Malaysia, and you should respect the country's law."
Vo was fined RM4,000, in default two months' jail, after pleading guilty to committing mischief by kicking and destroying the side mirror of the car belonging to G.S Gobikannan after a scuffle on Oct 6.
He committed the offence at a condominium in Cheras at 12.40am on Oct 6.
The offence under Section 425 of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 426, carries a maximum jail term of three months, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Norhidayah Abdullah Sani asked the court to mete out an appropriate sentence to the accused.
"I ask the court to consider a sentence to serve as a lesson to the accused," she said.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Dony Abdullah asked for a minimal fine.
"My client is repentant and remorseful over his actions," he said.
The facts of the case read that Vo and another foreign woman had booked a vehicle via the Grab application and was picked up by Gobikannan in Jalan Sultan Ismail, headed for a condominium in Kampung Cheras Baru.
While on the way, Vo had vomited in the car and Gobikannan gently chided him.
However, upon arrival at the condominium, they quarreled and pushed each other, and Vo had used his right leg to kick the car's left side mirror.
Immigration records showed Vo had a valid travel document.
Ampang Jaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Azam Ismail had said Vo and the foreign woman allegedly pushed Gobikannan until he fell and punched him on his mouth.
The duo tested negative for drugs and were subsequently remanded for four days to assist in investigations into the incident.