KUALA LUMPUR — Three lorry drivers were each fined RM1,200 for injuring a salesman during a dispute related to loss of income. The incident occurred on September 15 at about 11 a.m. at an office in Desa Sri Hartamas.

Azizan Majid, 49, Muhammad Shahrul Haizi Suhaime, 23, and T. Maniraj, 25, pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury to the waist and right thigh of 25-year-old Leong Yoke Choong. Magistrate Khairunnisak Hassni presided over the case and imposed the fines, also stipulating that the men would face one month’s imprisonment if they fail to pay.

The defendants were charged under Section 323, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum penalty of one year’s imprisonment, a RM2,000 fine, or both upon conviction.

During the proceedings, lawyer Mohamad Zaidi Othman requested a lower fine on behalf of the drivers. He explained that his clients had been assigned by their employer to inquire from the victim the reason behind a significant drop in the number of jobs and to secure an admission that some work had been allocated to another company. Zaidi emphasized that the defendants did not intend to inflict serious harm and expressed remorse over the incident.

The court ruling reflects the seriousness with which authorities address cases involving intentional injury, even when the parties involved claim a lack of intent to cause serious damage.