An unemployed man broke down in tears at the Kajang Sessions Court after being sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for abusing a kitten, following his failure to pay a RM60,000 fine.

Judge Khainur Aleeza Ismail handed down the sentence to Toh Teck Hooi, 49, after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

According to the charge sheet, the accused had cruelly abused a black male kitten by repeatedly throwing it against a wall and a mattress at a laundromat in Taman Kajang Prima between 3.30am and 4am on April 2.

He was charged under Subsection 29(1)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which provides for a fine ranging from RM20,000 to RM100,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both upon conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) prosecuting officer Mohd Sharif Sabran, while the accused was unrepresented.

Based on the facts of the case, the incident came to light after the accused uploaded a 59-second video of the act on his social media account.

A day later, Selangor DVS animal welfare officers conducted an inspection at the location of the incident.

Preliminary examination found that the kitten’s rear right leg was suspected to be injured, as it showed signs of discomfort when touched. The animal was also observed to be weak and less active.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE