Three students, two unemployed charged for not wearing face mask in assembly

BATU PAHAT: Three students and two unemployed men were brought before the Magistrate's Court here today on charges of participating in a prohibited activity without wearing face mask in Parit Raja two months ago.

The accused, Muhammad Farhan Mhd Basri, Nur Muhamad Afif Norazam, Faizul Naim Ahmad, Muhamad Al Azim Abd Rasid and Muhamad Hafizul Helmi Zailan, aged between 19 and 23 pleaded not guilty when the charges were read separately before Magistrate Mohd Syafiq Mustaza.

On May 13, they were found carrying out the banned activity without wearing face mask at the traffic light junction in Parit Raja at 2 am.

All of them were found committing the offence under Regulation 9 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2021 and could be sentenced under Regulation 17 (1) of the same Regulations.

If found guilty, the accused could face a jail term not exceeding six months or fine not more than RM50,000 or both.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor, Hayatul Wirdah Mohd Yunos requested the court to consider RM6,000 bail for each of the accused.

However, counsel Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid who represented all the accused appealed for bail to be reduced as three of them were students while two were unemployed.

The magistrate later set bail at RM1,000 with one surety for each of the accused.

The case was set for re-mention on Aug 26.-- BERNAMA