Businessman charged with assaulting Vietnamese woman at KL club

A 36-year-old businessman, Tan Zhie Yang, has been formally charged in court for allegedly assaulting a Vietnamese woman at a Kuala Lumpur club in early August, according to police. Annas Sulaiman, the chief of Wangsa Maju police, disclosed that Tan was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code for causing hurt voluntarily on August 13.

Tan has chosen to plead not guilty. The offense carries a potential punishment of up to one year in jail, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both upon conviction. The matter was initially referred to the deputy public prosecutor on August 11, who decided to press charges under Section 323. Police stated that the case had initially been investigated under Sections 323 and 506 of the Penal Code, which pertain to causing hurt voluntarily and criminal intimidation, respectively.

This development follows Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng's call for the reopening of the investigation into the incident involving Dao Thi Kim Tra, 28, at the club on August 4. During a press conference with Lim, Dao recounted that she had been taken into a VIP room at the club where two men allegedly struck her multiple times on the left eye, head, and stomach.

She further alleged that a man subsequently pointed a gun at her, threatening to harm her, and ordered her to leave the club with a bag she suspected contained drugs. Dao reported the incident to the police at the Wangsa Maju police station on August 6.