THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Court frees Aussie ‘strippers’ after guilty plea

Court frees Aussie ‘strippers’ after guilty plea

Sepang - ALL NINE Australian men who stripped to their underwear at Sunday’s Formula 1 race in Malaysia were cautioned and discharged by a Sessions Court after they pleaded guilty and apologised for their behaviour.

Judge Harith Sham Mohamed Yasin invoked Section 173 (A) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) to not mete out any punishment despite the nine pleading guilty to charges of causing public nuisance.

“What you have done was totally inappropriate and you have provoked the sensitivity of Malaysians.
“The elements in the flag are a symbol of sovereignty and official religion of the country.
“You must consider that Malaysia has a different culture to yours.
“I hereby exercise my power in accordance with 173 (A), I hereby discharge you from the charge and caution all of you,” he said.
The nine men, ages 25 to 29, had pleaded guilty to causing public nuisance under the Penal Code, which carries a fine of RM400 (Bt3,350).
On Sunday, they had stripped down to their underwear, which sported the Malaysian flag, to celebrate Australian Danial Ricciardo’s win at the Petronas Malaysia F1 Grand Prix in Sepang.
Lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said that the media had “wrongly reported” that the men were clad in “underwear” and “briefs”.
Shafee said they were actually wearing “swimming trunks” and having the national flag emblazoned on this attire is “encouraged” in many other countries and looked upon as a “friendly act of patriotism”.
“On Australia Day, it is common to see individuals in bikinis or swimming trunks with the Australian flag walking down the streets,” he said.
Shafee said his clients showed remorse for their actions and the offence was “trivial” and that it should not be recorded as a conviction.
He added that there was also discrimination against the men.
“Because in the paddock in F1, the fairer sex is even less dressed than these nine clients of mine,” he said.
 THE STAR
ASIA NEWS NETWORK
 
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