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NST Poll: Caning, prison and community service suggested as penalties for persons who throw objects from buildings

KUALA LUMPUR: Imprisonment, community service and caning are some of the suggestions made by Malaysians who demanded a harsher punishment to deter individuals from throwing things from high-rise buildings.

The feedback followed reports of a man who was recently caught on camera hurling an empty liquor bottle from a high-rise apartment. He was investigated under the Penal Code, which carried a maximum fine of RM400.

A 24-hour poll conducted on NST Online's Twitter platform found that 98 per cent of the almost 1,000 respondents were in favour of amending current laws to severely punish those creating such public nuisances.

"The provision under that section (of the law) should be amended. It's 2023 already, even the price of chicken eggs has increased," said a respondent, Ramza Ghani, on Facebook.

A Twitter user, who goes by the handle @wfr3104, said imprisonment would serve as an effective deterrent than the meagre RM400 fine.

"That bottle of liquor may cost more than RM400. What is RM400 (the fine)? Imprisonment is a better deterrent."

An Instagram user, nextboykong, said those who threw things out of high rises should be jailed for attempted murder.

"In the video, the man is seen throwing a bottle intentionally, not by accident."

Another Facebooker, Poh Tan, said those found guilty of committing such offences should be sentenced to do community service.

However, Poh said, harsher punishments, including a jail term, were more appropriate if the act caused harm or death.

"Monetary punishment is irrelevant to those who can afford it. "Whereas community work or a jail sentence is (a) more personal (punishment) for the offender. You reap what you sow."

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