KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — A 49-year-old man who went viral for throwing a kitten against a wall at a self-service laundry was sentenced to six months in jail today after failing to pay a RM60,000 fine imposed by the Sessions Court here.
Judge Khainur Aleeza Ismail had earlier sentenced Toh Teck Hooi to the fine and stipulated that failure to pay would result in six months’ imprisonment, according to Harian Metro.
The sentence followed Toh’s guilty plea, confirmed via a court interpreter.
According to the charge, the unemployed man cruelly abused a black male kitten by repeatedly throwing it against a wall and a mattress at a laundry premise in Taman Kajang Prima between 3.30am and 4am on April 2.
The offence was framed under Subsection 29(1)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015.
Conviction carries a penalty under Subsection 29(1) of the same act: a fine between RM20,000 and RM100,000, or imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
The prosecution was led by Veterinary Services Department (JPV) officer Mohd Sharif Sabran, while Toh was unrepresented.
Court facts show that on the day of the incident, Toh uploaded a 59-second video of the act to his social media account.
The next day, Selangor JPV Animal Welfare officers inspected the site.
Initial examination of the kitten revealed a suspected injury to its right hind leg, showing discomfort when touched, and the animal appeared inactive and lethargic.
Toh was subsequently remanded for four days starting last Saturday.
It was reported last Friday that the man was detained by Selangor JPV after the video of him abusing the kitten at a self-service laundry went viral.
The footage showed the man repeatedly throwing the kitten against the wall and onto a mattress, with the incident said to have occurred in the Kajang area.
