ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 18 — Police will refer the investigation paper on the slapping incident involving a non-Muslim man at a convenience store in a shopping mall in the city to the Deputy Public Prosecutor by this Friday.
Johor police chief Datuk M. Kumar said that investigators had recorded the statement of the suspect, a 65-year-old local man, yesterday to assist in the probe.
“The 21-year-old victim was taken to the hospital for examination, while the suspect and several witnesses, including his son, have had their statements recorded by police. The doctor who treated the victim will also have his statement recorded.
“The investigation paper will be referred to the Deputy Public Prosecutor before Friday,” he told reporters at the Iskandar Puteri district police headquarters here today.
The state’s top cop was earlier asked for an update on the investigation regarding the case that had attracted national attention.
Kumar appealed to the public to refrain from speculating on the incident, as its sensitive nature could threaten peace and harmony.
“This incident is an isolated case and does not happen often. Malaysians, as a multiracial and multicultural society, value tolerance. Therefore, please do not take matters into your own hands and leave the responsibility of investigating to the authorities,” he said, adding that the public can instead channel any information to the police.
Previously, Johor Baru North police chief Assistant Commissioner Balveer Singh Mahinder Singh said the victim filed a report regarding the incident at 9.08pm yesterday.
In a statement, he said the victim claimed to have been slapped twice on the right side of his cheek by an unknown elderly man after the suspect enquired about his religion and asked for his MyKad identity card.
“The victim’s refusal to hand over his identity card caused an argument before the victim was slapped by the elderly man,” he was reported saying.
The incident was trending on social media yesterday after a video of the argument between the two men was uploaded on X (formerly Twitter) by the owner of the account handle @bingbinge656.
The victim, through a tweet on the X, claimed that the elderly man asked whether he was a Muslim before asking to see his identity card.
