KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — Johor Bahru Utara police have opened an investigation into an incident involving a Chinese man who was slapped by a stranger at a mall in Johor Bahru.
The victim alleged that the middle-aged man slapped him twice after the two argued over his identity. The assailant had reportedly suspected that the victim was a Malay-Muslim openly eating during Ramadan.
When the victim refused to show his identification card, an argument ensued before he was slapped. The entire incident was recorded and later shared on social media.
Johor police said the case is being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code.
“We received a report about the incident on March 16 from a local man, aged 21. Preliminary investigations showed the incident occurred at a mall in Johor Bahru at around 3.45pm,” police said in a statement.
“The incident likely started when the man questioned the complainant about his religion and then asked for his MyKad, but the latter refused to comply,” the statement added.
“The case is being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code. If convicted, the offender faces up to one year in jail, a fine of RM2,000, or both.”
The video clip of the incident has since gone viral, sparking a heated debate on moral policing and minority rights.
Malaysia practices a federal system in which each state has full autonomy over Islamic affairs, leading to variations in Shariah laws. However, all states prohibit Muslims who are not fasting from eating or drinking in public during Ramadan.
