Kepong Hawker Gets Good Behaviour Bond After Accusing PDRM Of Blackmailing Him During MCO
Amar Zaid Amir Lim's lawyer claimed the prosecution team had advised him to plead guilty for a light sentence.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 01 Dec 2022, 06:39 PM — Updated about 2 years ago
After over a year of court proceedings, a 21-year-old hawker was ordered to be placed under a two-year good behaviour bond for lodging a false police report over an incident on 2 June last year
The herbal soup hawker, Amar Zaid Amir Lim, also known as Lim Thiam Fook, claimed that three police officers tried to intimidate and extort RM3,000 from him for running his herbal soup stall during the Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0 period.
According to him, when the incident first happened, the policemen harassed him after realising that he did not have an approval letter from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to operate the stall.
Amar claimed he was driving to his herbal soup stall at 6.45am when the alleged extortion happened.
He accused the policemen of pouring the soup he prepared to sell by the roadside, and threatened to detain him and his 13-year-old brother if they did not pay them RM3,000.
The case immediately caught national attention, with Kepong member of parliament (MP) Lim Lip Eng stepping in to help the youth. Local rapper Namewee also offered help so that Amar could defend himself legally in the case.
However, the vendor later changed his statement and withdrew his police report filed against the policemen. Many believed that Amar withdrew his police report due to intimidation.
Amar Zaid Amir Lim (left) and his younger brother working at a herbal soup hawker stall.
Image via China PressOn 26 August 2021, Amar was charged in court under Section 182 of the Penal Code for providing a public servant with false information
The provision carries a maximum of six months in jail or a fine of up to RM2,000, or both.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, reported The Star.
Fast forward to the ruling yesterday, 30 November, Free Malaysia Today reported that magistrate Wong Chai Sia ordered him to be placed under a two-year good behaviour bond with one surety.
Amar's lawyer, Lam Nien Cean, said the prosecution team had previously suggested that Amar and the defence team enter into a plea bargain. In exchange, the prosecution would not push for a jail sentence.
The hawker ended up wanting to plead guilty to the charge.
In a Facebook post today, 1 December, Namewee said he did his best to help the youth, but was dissatisfied with the result of the case
"With the current situation, he could only 'plead guilty for a light sentence' to resolve the case," he wrote.
"You ask me, of course, I am not satisfied! Seeing a normal civilian being oppressed by the rich and powerful; even though he was the victim, he was treated as the perpetrator; and now he has to plead guilty."
The rapper said even if he could continue to help pursue the case legally, Amar might not be able to sustain it, explaining that the hawker was the person who had to face everything.
"Sorry to disappoint everyone. I will be stronger in the future so that I can help more people," Namewee added.
