KUALA LUMPUR: A delivery man has been fined the maximum amount of RM2,000 by the Magistrate’s Court for assaulting senior journalist Haresh Deol in broad daylight.
Magistrate Aina Azahra Arifin passed the sentence on Thursday (Jan 22) against R. Krishnan, 38, who pleaded guilty to the charge in November last year.
The court also ordered Krishnan to serve three months in jail if he fails to pay the fine.
Earlier, the charge was read again to Krishnan, who maintained his guilty plea.
According to the charge sheet, Krishnan, together with another suspect still at large, was accused of voluntarily causing hurt to Haresh in front of the Tanjung Balai Group building, Jalan Telawi 3.
The incident took place between 3.10pm and 3.32pm on Nov 25.
The charge was framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum one-year imprisonment or fine of up to RM2,000, or both.
Haresh, 44, was present at Thursday’s proceedings.
Krishnan's lawyer Mohamad Salihen Mastor earlier asked the court for a minimum fine and to spare his client from a custodial sentence.
He said Krishnan was a father of five and the sole breadwinner of his family.
“He does not have a steady income and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to an offence that was not of a serious nature. While public interest is paramount, I ask the court to exercise discretion and hand down a proportionate sentence,” Mohamad Salihen said.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Hench Goh urged the court for a heavier sentence as the CCTV recording showed the accused and another individual displayed a deliberate intention of causing harm to Haresh.
“The facts of the case showed the complainant (Haresh) was assaulted in broad daylight and the injuries sustained were not minor, involving soft tissue damage and swelling to the face and body as a result of repeated beatings.
“Such acts of assault instil fear in members of the public and undermine their sense of safety when moving about in public spaces. A heavy and deterrent sentence is therefore necessary to ensure public confidence and safety,” DPP Goh said.
Last November, Haresh, who is the founder of the TwentyTwo13 portal, was assaulted by two individuals in Bangsar, with one of them recording the attack on a mobile phone.
The attack was widely condemned by Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm), the Sports Writers Association of Malaysia (SAM), National Union of Journalists Malaysia (NUJ and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), with many expressing concern over the seemingly targeted attack against a journalist who was carrying out his duty.
