JOHOR BARU, June 25 — A 50-year-old unemployed man was fined RM13,000 after pleading guilty in two Magistrates’ Courts here today to charges of deliberately ramming a Toyota Hilux into a Perodua Axia and driving dangerously last Sunday.
The accused, Muhammad Firdaus Abdullah, was fined after admitting to the charges read out by the court interpreter before Magistrates Atifah Hazimah Wahab and Nur Fatin Mohamad Farid.
The court also ordered him to serve 18 months in prison if he fails to pay the fine and endorsed his driving licence.
Before Magistrate Atifah Hazimah, Muhammad Firdaus was charged under Section 427 of the Penal Code for mischief causing damage. The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
He was accused of ramming a Toyota Hilux into a black Perodua Axia owned by a 63-year-old man, resulting in damages amounting to RM15,300.
In a separate hearing before Magistrate Nur Fatin, he was charged under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for careless and inconsiderate driving, which carries a fine of up to RM10,000 and a maximum jail term of 12 months, along with mandatory endorsement of the driving licence.
The offences were committed at Susur 6, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, at 3.10pm last Sunday.
The accused, in tears, expressed remorse and promised not to repeat his actions, pleading for leniency as he is unemployed and supports a wife and seven children.
Deputy public prosecutors Nik Noratini Nik Azman and Amirah Tasnim Saleh urged for a proportionate sentence, citing the losses suffered by the victim and the public interest generated by the case.
For the mischief charge, Muhammad Firdaus was fined RM7,500 or 12 months in prison, while the dangerous driving charge resulted in a RM5,500 fine or six months in prison. His driving licence was also endorsed.
According to the facts of the case, the victim lodged a police report claiming the accused had intentionally damaged his Perodua Axia by ramming into the rear once and the front twice before fleeing.
Police arrested Muhammad Firdaus at Jalan Langkasuka in Larkin at 6.30pm yesterday, acting on information and a viral dashcam video showing the deliberate act.
The widely circulated footage captured the accused’s actions, sparking public outrage.
