GEORGE TOWN, Jan 25 — Four men who pleaded guilty in a Magistrate’s Court here today to provoking policemen by using criminal force in the execution of their duties after a road mishap last week appealed against being jailed, preferring to do community service instead.

Magistrate R. Manomani eventually did consider their request, and ordered Shahrizal Anuar, 38, Mohd Safwan Akbar, 29, Mohd Hafiz Shah, 28, and Mohd Danial Al Arabia Mohd Rafi, 24, to perform community services for three hours every day for two months.

They must report to the Malaysian Prison Department under the Compulsory Attendance Order (PKW) 1954 and the prison would decide on the type of community services that they must perform.

PKW, a community service programme, is an alternative sentence to imprisonment.

According to the charge, they had used criminal force on a public servant by way of provocation against three policemen after a road mishap at the Jalan Tokong traffic light intersection here at 5.40 pm, on January 17.

The charge, under Section 353 of the Penal Code, provides for a maximum two-year jail sentence or RM10,000 fine or both.

Meanwhile, at the same court, the four accused with three others, namely, Azizul Mohamad, 45, Mohd Idris Ayob, 25, and Danish Ikmal Mohd Shafiq Samugam, 20, were each fined RM700 for flouting the movement control order (MCO) at the same time and place.

The court also ordered all seven to be jailed for three weeks if they failed to pay the fines.

They were charged under Regulation 16, Regulations on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Infected Areas) (Movement Control) 2021 which carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail or a RM1,000 fine or both. — Bernama