JOHOR BAHRU, Feb 13 — A 26-year-old e-hailing driver claimed trial in the Magistrate’s Court here today to a charge of violating the modesty of a female Vietnamese passenger in a car he was driving earlier this month.

The accused, Alvin Choo Chee Hong, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out by a court interpreter before Magistrate A. Shaarmini.

Based on the charge sheet, the accused, who is also a full-time government school teacher, was charged with using criminal force on a foreign woman with the intent of violating her modesty by attempting to touch her breasts, thighs and calves.

The act was allegedly committed inside a Perodua Bezza car that was travelling from Kedai Emas Ros Merah, Jalan Harimau Tarum in Century Gardens to R&F Princess Cove in Jalan Tanjung Puteri here between 5.30pm and 6pm on February 1.

Choo was charged under Section 354 of the Penal Code for using criminal force with intent to outrage a person’s modesty, which provides for up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine, whipping or any two of the punishments upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Syafiqah Sha’ari offered a bail amount of RM10,000, but this was objected to by defence counsel Mark Jeyakumar, who represented the accused.

Jeyakumar said his client only earns about RM3,000 a month and the high bail amount was beyond the accused’s means.

He said the accused is the eldest of three siblings and two of his younger siblings are still studying, while his mother is a housewife and his father works as an assistant engineer with a salary of RM4,000 a month.

“This is the accused’s first offence and he has never been to court for any previous case. The accused is also at no risk of harassment as he is no longer an e-hailing driver and has no information about the woman,” he said.

The court then allowed the accused bail of RM2,000 and set March 13 for mention and the submission of documents.

Previously, it was reported that police were actively identifying the e-hailing driver who was accused of sexually harassing a female passenger following a widely circulated video of the incident on social media.

The incident subsequently attracted public outrage.

On February 4, police said they had made an arrest after receiving a police report from the victim, a Vietnamese woman.

At the same time, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook was also reported to have ordered the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to cancel the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license of the e-hailing driver involved in the sexual harassment incident.