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A 47-year-old Malaysian businessman has been sentenced to six months in jail after being found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend at a condominium in Seri Kembangan in 2024.
The Petaling Jaya Magistrates’ Court also ordered Hoh Peng Onn to pay RM5,000 in compensation to his former girlfriend, Liaw Ju Shuang, now 28, after taking into account the trauma and the physical and emotional impact of the injuries she suffered.
However, Hoh’s prison sentence has been stayed pending an appeal to the High Court.
Defence failed to raise reasonable doubt
Magistrate Amira Sariaty Zainal handed down the sentence after finding that Hoh’s defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt at the conclusion of the defence case.
Hoh was convicted under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt.
According to the charge, he assaulted Liaw at a condominium unit in Seri Kembangan at around 12.30am on Oct 5, 2024.
The incident reportedly happened following an argument between the couple, who were in a relationship at the time.
Liaw suffered bruising to her eyes and other parts of her body before eventually managing to escape from the condominium and seek help from a neighbour.
In her earlier account of the incident, Liaw said the argument began after she reminded Hoh, who is 20 years older than her, to set an alarm as the pair were planning to visit a water park the following day.
She previously said the incident left her with injuries to her eyes, face, head, neck, hands and legs.
Court orders RM5,000 compensation
Aside from the six-month jail sentence, the court ordered Hoh to pay Liaw RM5,000 in compensation.
The court took into consideration the trauma as well as the physical and emotional impact of the injuries suffered by Liaw when making the compensation order.
Should Hoh fail to pay the RM5,000, he will have to serve an additional two months in prison.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Syed Ahmed Khabir Abdul Rahman had urged the court to impose a custodial sentence and a fine, highlighting the public interest involved as well as the extent of Liaw’s injuries.
The prosecution also sought compensation for Liaw under Section 426(1A) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
‘Our client has finally received a fair judgment’
Speaking to WeirdKaya following the decision, Liaw’s counsel, Ng Mei Yi, said the judgment marked an important moment for her client after a lengthy ordeal.
After enduring a long and painful ordeal, our client has finally received a fair judgment today.
“We hope that other victims who have endured similar experiences will not be afraid to speak up and stand up for their rights.
Our client will be taking the next appropriate legal steps in response to today’s judgment,” she said.
Ng had also represented Liaw’s interests earlier in the proceedings and previously sought for her victim impact statement to be heard before sentencing.
Victim previously told court about lasting impact
Earlier in the case, after Hoh changed his plea to guilty in March 2025, Ng cited Section 183A of the Criminal Procedure Code and asked the court to allow Liaw to deliver a victim impact statement, and it was allowed.
Liaw later appeared in court and described the physical, psychological and financial impact the incident had on her.
She said she suffered internal bleeding in her left eye and was unable to see clearly for around two months.
Her family had to care for her during her recovery, while she was also unable to work for two to three months and suffered a loss of income.
She also said she experienced nightmares, struggled to concentrate at work and found it difficult to interact with men following the incident.
After Liaw delivered her victim impact statement, Hoh changed his plea again and claimed trial.
Defence asked for a fine instead
During mitigation, Hoh’s lawyer, urged the court to impose a fine instead of imprisonment.
The defence submitted that Hoh was a first-time offender with no previous convictions and had maintained good behaviour since being charged.
It was also submitted that he had not committed any other offences while the case was ongoing.
Following sentencing, the defence applied for the six-month prison sentence to be stayed pending an appeal to the High Court.
The court allowed the application, subject to bail of RM4,000.
However, the court dismissed a separate application to stay the payment of the RM5,000 compensation and ordered Hoh to pay the amount on the same day.
Found guilty after lengthy court proceedings
Hoh was initially charged over the incident on Dec 6, 2024, and he first pleaded not guilty before changing his plea to guilty on March 20, 2025.
However, after Liaw delivered her victim impact statement, Hoh changed his position again and claimed trial.
Following a five-day prosecution trial involving five witnesses, the court ruled on July 17, 2026, that the prosecution had established a prima facie case and ordered Hoh to enter his defence.
M’sian Woman Left Bruised By BF, Who’s 20 Years Older, After She Reminded Him To Set An Alarm
At the conclusion of the defence case, Magistrate Amira Sariaty found that Hoh had failed to raise a reasonable doubt and convicted him of the charge.
He was subsequently sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay Liaw RM5,000 in compensation, with the jail sentence currently stayed pending his appeal to the High Court.
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