Smashing beer bottles was to deter drinking
SHAH ALAM: Controversial Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos claimed that his only intention when smashing crates of beer at the main gate of the Selangor State Secretariat was to prevent public consumption of alcohol.
The Umno leader was appealing for lower bail at the Shah Alam magistrate’s court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 290 of the Penal Code for committing public nuisance.
Sungai Besar Umno division chief Jamal, who is also leader of the Red Shirt group, had smashed 10 crates of beer with a sledgehammer outside the state government building gate in early October last year.
His antics were in protest of the Better Beer Festival 2017 which was scheduled to be held in Selangor.
“I apologise to everyone including the court as what I did may have been a disturbance to the people.
“But it was a media gimmick to attract public attention because we did not want people, especially youngsters in Selangor, to be able to consume alcohol,” said Jamal, who was allowed to directly address the court.
However, in spite of his lengthy explanation and his lawyer Datuk Imran Tamrin’s long mitigation as to why Jamal should be imposed minimum fine, magistrate Raja Noor Adilla Raja Mahyaldin slapped Jamal with the maximum fine of RM400 and in default one month imprisonment.
When addressing the court, Jamal said he opposed the event being held in Selangor after receiving feedback on the negative elements related to Oktoberfest which was held in Penang.
Jamal, who was brought to court amidst tight security, was whisked away by a platoon of policemen.
He is being held under custody at the Sungai Buloh prison pending several other charges expected to be levelled against him including fleeing from police custody.
Jamal skipped to Indonesia in May but was caught and extradited to Malaysia on July 5.