By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, March 24: Two traders and a kitchen assistant were fined RM2,000 each or face two months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to their involvement in a brawl that took place at Jalan Rubber, Satok.
Luqman Hakim Iskandar, 26, Nik Daniel Ramlee, 21, and Mohd Irwan Shek Madarsah, 35, admitted to the charges read out before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan in the Magistrates’ Court today.
They were charged under Section 148 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, for participating in a riot while in possession of a broomstick that could be used as a weapon.
The altercation happened in front of a burger stall along Jalan Rubber between 11pm and 11.30pm on March 18.
According to case facts, a police officer on duty came across a 53-second video on Facebook at around 9am on March 19, showing a group of men engaged in a fight outside the burger stall.
Following this, police launched ‘Op Cantas’ and arrested five individuals while seizing a green broomstick believed to have been used in the fight.
Investigations revealed that the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding when Luqman, who was driving a Perodua Myvi, accidentally pressed the accelerator three times near a restaurant owned by Nik Daniel. At the time, Nik Daniel was dining with his family.
This action irritated Nik Daniel, leading to a verbal argument. The situation escalated when two brothers, aged 18 and 20, who are Nik Daniel’s cousins, attempted to intervene but eventually got involved in the scuffle.
Meanwhile, Mohd Irwan, who was running his business nearby, saw the commotion and tried to disperse the crowd in front of his stall before the fight broke out.
Further investigations confirmed that the incident was due to a misunderstanding, as Luqman’s car was experiencing gear issues, and the revving was unintentional.
The matter was later resolved amicably between the parties involved.
In a related development, the two brothers who participated in the fight were released on bail pending a social and character report from the Social Welfare Department, which is expected to be presented on May 15. — DayakDaily
