Online petition seeking equal justice against Datin receives 45,000 signatures

PUTRAJAYA: An online petition calling for equal justice for the rich and poor has been posted and signed by more than 40,000 signatories following the case of the sessions court which sentenced a Datin to good behaviour bond of five years for abusing her Indonesian domestic worker.
The petition on change.org which was initiated by an unidentified person going by the pseudonym "Equal Justice for Malaysians" on Saturday is seeking 50,000 signatures before being forwarded to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
As of press time, the petition has garnered 45,293 signatures.
"We call for equal justice for the rich and poor. The crime by the Datin towards her maid is despicable, inhumane and clearly should result in stricter punishment than 'good behaviour bond'.
"She should be charged with attempted murder or intent to cause serious bodily harm.
"We elected a government that should not have any influence in our justice system. Even if she's a datin, rich and has connections doesn't give her the right to treat people like that. What message are we sending to our people and children? Malaysia needs to seriously look at our human rights issue," the petition stated.
Datin Rozita Mohamad Ali was sentenced to a good behaviour bond of five years by the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court last Thursday after being charged with abusing then 19-year-old Suyanti Sutrinso in 2016 using a kitchen knife, a steel mop, a clothes hanger and an umbrella.
According to the charge sheet, Rozita had caused multiple injuries to the victim's head, hands, legs and internal organs between 7am and 12pm on Dec 21, 2016 in a house in Mutiara Damansara.
Suyanti was badly injured in the eyes, hands and legs and internal organs suffered a blood clot under the skin on the head, bleeding spots in front of the brain, a broken cheek bone, jaw and left shoulder as well as injury to the right lung.
It was reported that Rozita was initially charged under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder, which carries a maximum jail sentence of 20 years upon conviction.
However, the charge was later amended to causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means under Section 326 of the Penal Code, which she pleaded guilty to.
Sessions judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar sentenced her to be bound over for five years on a good behaviour bond of RM20,000.
Prior to the decision, deputy public prosecutor V. Suloshani had urged for the court to mete out a jail sentence to serve as a deterrent against the accused and stated that the incident had gone viral on social media.
However, Rozita's lawyer, Datuk Rosal Azimin Ahmad, applied for a good behaviour bond, claiming that his client had "repented".
It was reported that Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali stated that his office would be contesting the court's decision.
The incident came to light after several photographs of a bleeding Suyanti had gone viral on social media.