KULAI, May 31 — A businesswoman and a bodyguard were each fined RM2,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here today with regard to a crash and subsequent altercation along the North-South Highway, last March.

Magistrate Sharifah Maleeha Syed Hussin meted out the sentences against Lee Jia Min (she), 28, and Nor Razman Abd Razak (he), 44, after both pleaded guilty to their respective charges read by an interpreter.

Lee would have to serve one month in jail if she failed to pay the fine, while Nor Razman could be jailed for two months. Both paid the fine.

According to the charge sheet, Lee as the driver of a Ford Ranger four-wheel-drive vehicle was alleged to have failed to control the vehicle, causing an accident at KM 34, southbound of the North-South Highway here, at about 6.10pm, on March 18.

Meanwhile, Nor Razman, who works as a driver and bodyguard, was charged with intentionally causing injury to Lee by slapping the woman’s face at KM 36.6 of the highway on the same day.

Based on the facts of the case, the car driven by Lee heading from Yong Peng towards Johor Bahru had entered the left lane before colliding with the front right side of a luxury car belonging to Nor Razman’s employer that was moving straight on the left lane.

Lee stopped her vehicle at KM36.6 of the highway when a group of luxury cars blocked her path, before being approached by Nor Razman who slapped the woman’s right cheek before leaving the scene.

Before passing the sentence, Sharifah Maleeha asked Nor Razman why he slapped Lee, and he said it was because the latter had hit the vehicle driven by his employer, causing damage.

The magistrate advised Nor Razman not to resort to violence to resolve a matter, and to allow the authorities to do it based on existing legal channels.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Edelynn Wong, while counsel Tan Cheng Yee represented Lee and counsel Mohd Azlan Shah Mohd Allias represented Nor Razman.

Recently, a 45-second video clip that went viral on social media showed a group of luxury cars stopping their vehicles in the middle of the highway due to dissatisfaction and a misunderstanding between the two parties following a collision. — Bernama