M’sian police arrest SG woman who had no travel documents & was verbally abusive at 2nd Link highway

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman ran afoul of the law in Malaysia on Saturday evening (Sep 27). According to a statement from Assistant Commissioner of Police M. Kumarasan, the Iskandar Puteri officer-in-charge, she grew to be verbally abusive toward police officers when her car was stopped at a roadblock at the Second Link Highway.

The incident with the 29-year-old woman occurred at around 8:30 p.m. at KM3.8 of the Second Link Highway in Gelang Patah.

In a statement the following day, Mr Kumarasan said that the Singaporean woman refused to cooperate when her car was stopped for inspection at the roadblock. Furthermore, when she was told that a summons would be issued against her for having illegally modified her car’s exhaust system, the woman verbally abused the police officers.

According to a report in The New Straits Times, while the woman tested negative for alcohol and drugs, she was found to have no valid travel documents to be in Malaysia in her possession.

The case is now being investigated under Section 186 of Malaysia’s Penal Code for obstructing a public servant from carrying out their duty. Should she be found guilty, the woman could go to jail for as long as two years, be made to pay a fine of as much as RM10,000 (S$3,065), or both.

Mr Kumarasan said that because she used words that were intended to hurt feelings or cause a breach of the peace, the woman is also being investigated under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955. If she is found guilty, she could be slapped with a maximum fine of RM100 (S$30.65).

“In addition, she is under investigation for violating Section 6(1)(C) of the Immigration Act 1959/62 for not having valid documents to remain in Malaysia, which carries a penalty of up to five years’ jail, a fine of up to RM10,000, or whipping of not more than six strokes, or any two of these punishments,” said Mr Kumarasan, who also issued a reminder to the public to not only obey the law but also to cooperate with police officers as they perform their duties.

Netizens commenting on the incidents showed very little sympathy for the woman, whom they condemned not only for disobeying the law but also for how she treated the police officers in Malaysia.

“I hope she learns a lesson. People are getting more and more brazen,” a commenter on r/Singapore wrote.

“Exactly!” another agreed, adding that just because someone is Singaporean, it “doesn’t mean you are above the law! We still need to respect other countries’ laws and culture.”  /TISG