By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Aug 6: A 62-year-old e-hailing driver was sentenced to one day in jail and fined RM5,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here today after pleading guilty to insulting the modesty of a 16-year-old girl by repeatedly asking her to remove her ‘hijab’ (headscarf) during a ride home.
The accused, Wan Allam Halim Shah, a retired member of a uniformed body, was charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code for uttering words intended to insult the victim’s modesty.
The offence took place around 11.00pm on April 26 along Jalan Camar, while the accused was working as a Grab driver and transporting the teen back to her residence in a Perodua Alza.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan handed down the sentence and ordered that Wan Allam serve an additional three weeks in prison if he fails to pay the fine.
According to the facts of the case, the accused made multiple requests for the victim to remove her headscarf, claiming he wanted to see her face and expressing disbelief that she was only 16 years old.
The girl refused his repeated requests and felt deeply humiliated, especially as a Muslim woman. During the journey, she discreetly recorded a video of the incident inside the vehicle.
Upon arriving home, she immediately informed her parents about the inappropriate behaviour and showed them the video. Upset by the driver’s conduct, the family later confronted him at a nearby residential area, leading to a verbal altercation.
The confrontation was caught on video by a bystander and later went viral on social media, drawing public outrage.
Investigations confirmed that no physical force was used during the incident, but the accused’s actions had indeed insulted the girl’s modesty. The victim is currently a student at a local college.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Adriana Maisarah Mohd Farid led the prosecution. Wan Allam was unrepresented. — DayakDaily
