Australian man fined US$21 for urinating publicly in Malaysia’s shopping mall parking lot

MALAYSIA: Subang Jaya magistrate’s court imposed a fine of RM100 (approximately US$21) on an Australian man for urinating on a pillar in the parking lot of a shopping mall in Subang Jaya on 16 November.

The accused, 32 years old, pleaded guilty to the charges read in English before Magistrate Sasha Diana on Saturday.

The incident came to light when a video of him urinating in the basement parking lot of a shopping mall went viral, capturing the attention of a Malaysian woman who was feeding stray animals at the scene.

When confronted, the man admitted to noticing the restroom on his way out but chose to ignore the woman, casually walking to his car and leaving the scene, as reported by World Of Buzz.

Screengrab from social media

On Tuesday (21 November), the Subang Jaya police released a statement, announcing their search for the man.

According to the charges, the accused was accused of behaving indecently in public with the intent to provoke anger and disturb the peace.

The offense occurred at the USJ 10 City Mall parking lot at 10.51 pm on 16 November and gained traction on social media.

Based on a report by Free Malaysia Today, the accused, who arrived from Australia on 13 November to visit his relatives, is charged under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 (Act 336), with a maximum fine of RM100 if convicted.

On the day the police issued a search announcement for the man, he willingly turned himself in at the Subang Jaya police station at approximately 11.15 am.

Subsequent investigations indicated no previous criminal records.

According to the accused’s lawyer, R Morhaneraj, the accused felt compelled to urinate in the parking area as he couldn’t hold it until reaching a restroom during the incident.

Morhaneraj further stated that although his client’s actions were regrettable, he was unaware that the incident was being recorded.

“The accused learned a lesson from the incident and vowed not to repeat it in the future.”

Deputy Public Prosecutor Annur Athirah Amran requested the court to impose the maximum penalty.

The accused was also reminded to observe proper conduct while in a foreign country.

Sasha Diana then imposed a fine of RM100 on the accused, with an additional one-day jail sentence in case of non-payment.

The accused promptly settled the fine.