Back in 2017, 12 National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) students (now former students as they were expelled following the incident) had allegedly beaten up their fellow classmate. The victim later died at Serdang Hospital.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court then convicted and sentenced them to 3 years in jail over the incident, to which they applied to appeal the decided.
Now, 7 years later, the 12 former students are once again appearing in court for their appeal, where their lawyer has shared how they have “suffered” the consequences of their actions for life through being forced to work normal jobs.
“If prison sentences are imposed, they will be fired from their jobs, further causing a rift in their households. Not only that, they are facing an RM30,000 lawsuit by the government against the scholarship given, for failing to complete their studies,”
“They are smart students, but this incident has caused some of them to work as e-hailing drivers, even dabbling in farming,” the lawyer shared during a debate with Judges Hadhariah, Mohamed Zaini Mazlan and Datuk Azmi Ariffin.
The lawyer added that the group consists of young offenders who have never been involved in criminal activities, hence requests that the court allow their appeal to convert the conviction to a good behaviour bond.
Can beggars be choosers?
The general public, on the other hand, didn’t take so well to the lawyer’s comment about the group “being forced” to work common jobs considering their victim will never be able to know how it feels to live their lives.
“FORCED to work?? Your statement is so shameless. Don’t you know those boys killed a person, not a fly.”
“Eh eh eh, what did they expect after killing someone? (To become a) doctor? (To be part of the) Magistrate? Them getting jobs in farming is good enough. They should find out how it feels to not get jobs at all. And they even managed to get married and have children.”
“BE THANKFUL THAT YOU CAN WORK IN E-HAILING. YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN JAIL AND FACE A DEATH SENTENCE.”
“Is being in the farming industry really so disgraceful? I think it’s much more noble than being a murderer.”
“Don’t give them jobs, let them go in and out of prison. They can also work in prison.”
The bullying incident aside, there should absolutely be no shame in working jobs in farming and e-hailing.
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
