The High Court has sentenced 52-year-old businessman Saiful Adli Yusof to four months in jail for assaulting a 70-year-old man, Liew Khoon Foo, in a case that went viral after being captured on video. Justice Aslam Zainuddin revised the magistrates’ court ruling, replacing a RM5,000 fine with a custodial term. Sentences for both charges of voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation were ordered to run concurrently.
During the hearing, Liew detailed the trauma he suffered, saying he now fears leaving home, struggles to eat due to tongue injuries requiring six stitches, and no longer dares to drive. Saiful, who claimed he lost control of his Toyota Vellfire after an accident involving Liew, argued that he acted in the heat of the moment, fearing for his three-day-old baby.
Deputy public prosecutor Shahrul Ekhsan Hasim described Saiful’s actions as reckless road bullying, citing video evidence showing the victim being kicked, punched, and pinned against a car door. The judge ruled that Saiful’s conduct was unjustified and had serious consequences, calling the sentence necessary to serve as a deterrent.
Defense counsel Syakir Haznal noted that Saiful had pleaded guilty and previously paid a substantial fine, but the High Court emphasized the severity of the assault and its impact on the victim.
