Businessman sentenced to six months’ jail, ordered to pay RM5,000 for assaulting ex-girlfriend

PETALING JAYA, Oct 13 — A 47-year-old businessman, Hoh Peng Onn, was sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to pay RM5,000 in compensation to his former girlfriend, Liaw Ju Shuang, 28, for assaulting her two years ago. The assault, which occurred on October 5, 2024, caused injuries to her eyes and body. Magistrate Amira Sariaty Zainal imposed the sentence after the defense failed to raise reasonable doubt at the end of their case.

The court also stipulated that Hoh must serve an additional two months in jail if he fails to pay the compensation promptly. However, the court granted defense counsel Cheow Wee's application to stay the prison sentence pending an appeal to the High Court, but required the payment of the compensation to commence immediately. Hoh was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which mandates a maximum jail term of one year, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both.

According to the prosecution's judge, the neighbor, the third witness, did not personally witness the assault but observed the victim with a bleeding head and bruises around her eyes and various parts of her body when she sought assistance. The witness also reported the incident to the police, leading to the victim's hospitalization for treatment.

The judge concluded that the defense did not present a reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case, which was essentially a denial unsupported by strong evidence and testimony. During the mitigation phase, the defense requested a fine due to the accused's vision problems, which they claimed would make imprisonment difficult.

However, the Deputy Public Prosecutor argued that the public interest superseded the accused's welfare given the severity of the victim's injuries and advocated for both a jail term and the payment of compensation.