A 47-year-old businessman has been sentenced to six months in prison after being found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend in Seri Kembangan two years ago.
Magistrate Amira Sariaty Zainal handed down the sentence against Hoh Peng Onn after ruling that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt at the end of the defence case.
“The court hereby sentences the accused to six months’ imprisonment from the date of conviction, October 13, 2026. Compensation of RM5,000 is also awarded to the victim, taking into account the trauma, physical injuries and emotional impact she suffered,” she said.
The court also ordered Hoh to serve an additional two months in prison if he failed to pay the compensation. However, it later granted the defence’s application to suspend the prison sentence pending an appeal, subject to bail of RM4,000.
The court rejected the request to suspend payment of the compensation and ordered that the amount be paid on the same day.
According to the charge, Hoh had intentionally caused hurt to Liaw Ju Shuang, 28, by hitting her at a residential unit in Putra Permai town centre, Seri Kembangan, at around 12.30am on October 5, 2024.
The offence was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison term of one year, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Syed Ahmed Khabir Abdul Rahman had urged the court to impose imprisonment and a fine, arguing that the public interest outweighed the accused’s personal interests and highlighting the injuries suffered by the victim.
The prosecution also applied under Section 426(1A) of the Criminal Procedure Code for compensation to be awarded to the victim.
Defence lawyer Cheow Wee sought a fine instead of imprisonment, arguing that Hoh was a first-time offender with no previous convictions.
“The accused is a first-time offender and has no previous convictions. This shows there is no need for immediate imprisonment.
“Since being charged, the accused has also demonstrated good behaviour and has not been involved in any other offences,” he said.
The defence also requested a stay of the prison sentence to allow an appeal to be filed at the High Court, along with a suspension of the compensation payment.
The court granted the request to suspend the prison sentence pending appeal but rejected the application to defer payment of the compensation.
The incident reportedly began with an argument between Hoh and Liaw, who were in a relationship at the time, inside the residential unit.
During the altercation, Hoh allegedly struck Liaw, leaving bruises around her eyes and on her body.
Fearing for her safety, Liaw ran out of the home to seek help and was subsequently assisted by a neighbour.
