Taking the rap: Wang (left) and Satyanarayana leaving the Kota Tinggi Courthouse in Johor.
KOTA TINGGI: Two foreign men were fined RM5,000 each at the Magistrate’s Court here after admitting to wearing indecent clothes during a controversial run in Pengerang.
Satyanarayana Prasad Papoli, 70, and Arthur Wang, 66, both pleaded guilty after the charges were read out to them before magistrate Nurkhalida Farhana Abu Bakar here yesterday.
The charges were read out in Mandarin for Wang, a Taiwanese, and in English for Satyanarayana, from India.
According to the charge sheets, both men committed an obscene act that caused disturbance to others in a public place by donning indecent clothing.
The offence was committed near a hotel in Jalan Desaru, Pengerang, between 4pm and 6pm on Oct 4.
The act is an offence under Section 294 of the Penal Code for public indecency, which carries a jail term of up to three months or a fine, or both.
Wang, in his defence, said he was not familiar with the norms of Muslim countries like Malaysia and his act was unintentional.
“For the past 10 years, I have been promoting the aboriginal culture of Orchid Island in Taiwan. If I had known that the clothing was considered indecent here, I would not have worn it.
“I would like to apologise to the people of this country, and I promise that I will not repeat this mistake,” he said, adding that he is unemployed.
Meanwhile, Satyanarayana, in his defence, said it has been a norm for men to wear women’s clothing in every Hash event in every country.
“I came here with the pure intention of doing charity. However, I admit to my mistake of putting on women’s clothes for traditional dances,” he said, adding that he is a former lawyer and suffering from a heart disease.
The court sentenced both men to a RM5,000 fine each and one month’s imprisonment if they failed to pay.
Both men paid their fines.
Yesterday, Johor police chief Comm Datuk M. Kumar said the police had on Sunday arrested two more Pan Asia Hash 2024 participants – a local 70-year-old man and a foreigner aged 49 – for allegedly engaging in indecent and lewd behaviour during the event in Desaru.
Comm Kumar added that the event organiser, Johor Baru Hash House Harriers, did not promote or endorse any elements that could cause discomfort or violate religious or cultural sensitivities in the country.
JB Hash House Harriers president Datuk A. Magendran had said the event was to raise funds for the Spastic Children’s Association of Johor.
He added that the organisers, who raised about RM10,100, regretted the incident and would assist in any police investigation.
