KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — A 20-year-old storekeeper found himself in hot water today, receiving an RM800 fine in the Magistrate’s Court in Batu Pahat, Johor after admitting to assaulting his girlfriend.

According to Buletin TV3, the incident unfolded last Thursday when Muhamad Nurhaqimi Harun didn’t reply to his girlfriend’s WhatsApp message, "Good morning, sayang.”

According to court proceedings, the altercation occurred at a pet shop on Jalan Parit Bilal at around 12:15pm on October 10.

Charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, Muhamad faced the possibility of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to RM2,000.

It was revealed that the girlfriend had come to his workplace with lunch, but tensions flared when she expressed her frustration over his lack of response.

This led to a heated verbal exchange, culminating in Muhamad slapping her left cheek, causing minor injuries.

Following the incident, the victim sought treatment at Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital and promptly reported the matter to the Batu Pahat District Police Headquarters.

The prosecution, spearheaded by Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Wahidah Mohd Sharip, stood against the accused, who was represented by lawyer Mohd Razak Shariff.