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A woman pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to charges of unlawfully practising dentistry and operating an unregistered private dental clinic in December last year.

Nur Hafizah Harun, 21, who is not a registered dental practitioner, entered the plea before Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam after the two charges were read to her.

She was charged under Section 62(1) of the Dental Act 2018 (Act 804) and Section 4(1) of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586). The offences were allegedly committed at a premises in Seremban on December 6 last year.

Both charges carry a fine not exceeding RM300,000 or imprisonment for up to six years, or both, upon conviction.

Ministry of Health prosecuting officer Musfirah Musa proposed bail at RM10,000 for each charge, citing public interest and the potential health risks associated with the offence.

“The use of unidentified substances and equipment, as well as unsanitary conditions, poses serious health hazards not only to customers but also to the general public, including risks of infectious diseases such as Hepatitis B, HIV, and others,” she submitted.

Meanwhile, the accused’s lawyer, A. Partheeban, requested a lower sum, noting that his client is currently unemployed and that bail would be posted by her brother, a lorry attendant earning approximately RM2,000 per month.

The judge set bail at RM6,000 for both charges and ordered the accused not to interfere with prosecution witnesses. The case was then fixed for mention on June 12.

A teacher pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of attempting to murder his son by stabbing him with a vegetable knife earlier this month.

A Singaporean man who was driving a luxury Maserati pleaded not guilty at the Magistrates’ Court today to a charge of causing the death of a road user on the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link Expressway (Linkedua) last week.

The accused, Muhammad Irshad Abdul Hameed, 27, a civil servant in the republic, entered the plea after the charge was read before Magistrate Nur Fatin Mohamad Farid.

He was charged with driving a Maserati in a dangerous manner, which allegedly resulted in the death of A Vasanthraj, 32.

The offence was alleged to have taken place at 6.40pm at KM0.6 of the Linkedua Expressway on May 9.

The charge was framed under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to RM50,000 upon conviction.

The accused may also face disqualification from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a minimum period of five years from the date of conviction, in addition to having his licence endorsed by the court.

​The case was prosecuted by deputy public prosecutor Amirah Tasnim Saleh, while the accused was represented by lawyers Baharudin Baharim and Zarina Ismail Tom.

The court granted the accused bail of RM12,000 with two local sureties.

He is also required to report to the nearest police station once a month and has had his driving licence suspended.

Asrolfandi Mohd Ab Suki, 47, entered the plea after the charge was read before Judge Zulkpli Abdullah.

He was charged with stabbing his 11-year-old son twice with a knife and seriously injuring him at their home in Kampung Banggol Che Dol, Pohon Tanjung, at 8.55am on May 2.

The charge was framed under Section 307 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Siti Aiysha Na’ilah Harizan did not offer bail, and the accused was unrepresented.

The court set June 15 for case mention to obtain forensic and psychiatric observation reports from Hospital Bahagia in Perak.

Kedah will not renew licenses for electronic cigarettes or vapes in the state, citing concerns about their potential misuse for drug abuse.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said during the state-level Drug Eradication Action Council meeting yesterday that discussions also centred on the use of vape devices for synthetic drug abuse.

“Some individuals are exploiting the situation by selling synthetic drugs in liquid form that can be inhaled using vape devices. Preventing vape sales is one way to curb drug abuse,” he said after chairing the State Executive Council meeting at Wisma Darul Aman here today.

It was reported that Perlis will ban the sale of electronic cigarettes or vapes starting August 1.

Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli said the decision was based on the Perlis State Fatwa Committee ruling, which declared vape use as haram (prohibited) in 2022.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Sanusi said a complete ban on vape sales in the state cannot be implemented hastily to avoid potential legal issues.

“Existing licenses must expire first because there have been prior court cases on other matters. We were warned about possible legal loopholes that might be overlooked, leading to lawsuits,” he said.

​He added that the state government aims to enforce a complete ban on vape sales, including in convenience stores, by next year, once all licenses are no longer renewed.

He added that Kedah will continue intensifying anti-drug efforts at the district level with the cooperation of District Officers, District Police Chiefs, and National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) officers.

Muhammad Sanusi said that drug abuse has become a ‘wound’ and cancer in society, and it must be treated urgently to prevent more severe consequences in the future.

Three members of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) involved in Tuesday’s road crash in Teluk Intan remain in critical condition and unconscious.

Hilir Perak police chief ACP Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin said the three, Corporal Haslizal Mohd Ali, 44; Sergeant Mazlan Mat, 50; and Corporal Mohd Izwan Ishak, 39, are currently being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Teluk Intan Hospital.

“We visited the injured victims today as part of a welfare initiative,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Bakri added that four other FRU members who were also injured in the crash have regained consciousness and are still receiving treatment at the same hospital.

They are Corporal Mohammad Zulnaidi Muhammad Zullkifli, 34; Lance Corporal Muhammad Aniq Taufiq Rozi, 26; Corporal Mohd Harrisul Ikhsan Mohd Mahabudin; and Sergeant Mohd Parih Ali, 44.

The accident occurred at 8.50am Tuesday, when a truck carrying members of FRU Unit 5 base in Sungai Senam here, collided with a gravel-laden lorry. Eight personnel died at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at Teluk Intan Hospital.

A search and rescue (SAR) operation is set to resume this morning for a four-wheel drive vehicle that plunged into the Sarawak River near the Tun Salahuddin Bridge here last night.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said oil believed to be from the submerged vehicle had surfaced.

This will help responders to identify where the Water Rescue Unit (PPDA) should focus their dives.

The incident was reported at 10.07pm last night.

A team from the Tabuan Jaya fire station arrived at the scene four minutes later.

A witness told Bomba that the vehicle had been parked facing the river for about 30 minutes before it suddenly began moving and rolled towards the water.

“It was initially caught on the bridge’s metal frame briefly before falling into the river.

“The make of the vehicle and the number of victims have yet to be identified,” said a Bomba spokesperson in a statement.

As of 1.34am today, PPDA had conducted two dives at an estimated depth of 5.7 metres but found no trace of the vehicle or any victims.

The operation was called off early this morning.

A married couple had a frightening experience when their vehicle hit an elephant at KM 50 of the Johor Bahru-Mersing road last night.

Kota Tinggi District Police Chief Supt Yusof Othman said in the 9.20 pm incident, the 40- and 38-year-old couple were travelling from Kota Tinggi to Mersing in a Perodua Alza.

“Suddenly, four elephants crossed the road at the location, causing the driver to be unable to avoid and crash into one of the animals.

“As a result of the collision, the front part of the couple’s vehicle was severely damaged. However, both of them were unharmed,” he said in a statement.

He added that the elephants, including the one that was hit, are believed to have returned into a nearby forest after the incident, and a police report has been lodged by the victims for documentation and insurance claim.

“The authorities are advised to increase monitoring in the area, as the route is frequently used by wildlife, especially at night,” he said.

The 18th Battalion Senoi Praaq unit of the General Operations Force (PGA) detained four people believed to have entered Malaysia illegally through the Tok Awang Belulang illegal jetty during Op Taring Wawasan Kelantan last Monday.

PGA Southeast Brigade Commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said in the 3.15 pm operation, PGA personnel conducting patrols detected the group, but the boatman fled upon realising the presence of the authorities, leaving his passengers at the riverbank.

“One of the suspects is a 30-year-old local man, while the other three, including two women, are Thai nationals in their 20s believed to have entered the country without valid documents,” he said in a statement today.

He said the four were brought to the Pasir Mas District Police Headquarters (IPD) for further investigation.

Nik Ros Azhan added that initial urine tests showed the two male suspects tested positive for methamphetamine.

A warehouse storing electrical cables in Taman Inderawasih, Perai here was destroyed in a fire yesterday and after 12 hours of complete extinguishing operations, the fire department is still carrying out the operation today.

Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) operations assistant director John Sagun Francis said JBPM received a call informing them of the fire at 6.59 pm yesterday and the first fire engine from the Perai Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) rushed to the location.

“The fire has engulfed a 2,400 square foot electrical cable warehouse and when the fire brigade arrived the fire was already raging with 90 per cent of the two-storey building destroyed.

“The fire was brought under control at 7.59 pm but the follow-up effort was still being carried out at the location until 8.30 am due to the rubble of the floor and roof of the building,” he said in a statement today.

He said there were no casualties in the fire and the extinguishing operation was carried out by more than 100 officers and firefighters from the Jalan Perak, Bandar Perda, Sungai Bakap and Butterworth Fire Departments and was assisted by 11 volunteer fire brigades.

An unemployed man pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today, to a charge of stabbing his brother with a stingray tail spine in Kampung Pauh Jabit, Beris Kubur Besar, Bachok, earlier this month.

Mohd Izwan Sukarnor, 36, made the plea after the charge was read out, before Judge Zulkifli Abllah.

He was charged with intentionally causing grievous bodily harm to his elder brother, Mohd Fakhran, 40, using a stingray tail spine at a house in Kampung Pauh Jabit, Beris Kubur Besar, at around 9.30 am on May 1.

The charge was framed under Section 326 of the Penal Code, and, read together with Section 326A of the same law, which provides for a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine or whipping, if convicted.

Deputy public prosecutor Kamarul Hasyime Rosli did not offer bail for Mohd Izwan, who was unrepresented, citing the fact that the victim was the accused’s own brother.

The court did not grant bail to the accused and set June 16 for mention.

Police said today they arrested six men in a series of raids carried out late Monday and yesterday, following an alleged assault against a punk band vocalist after performing at a skinhead concert in City Plaza here last Sunday.

Johor Bahru South police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat said the police are confident that they can solve the assault case after the incident was widely disseminated via a video footage on social media.

“Based on the video footage, investigators made a report at 1.14am yesterday, before the victim filed a police report at 3pm on the same day at the Ampang police station in Selangor.

“On Monday, police arrested three men, aged 34 to 36, at 11.30pm in Johor Baru and Segamat. Yesterday, police arrested three other men, aged between 28 and 40, in the same districts,” he said in a press statement here.

The arrests were part of an ongoing police probe into the incident.

Raub said investigators also confiscated six mobile phones belonging to the suspects to assist in investigations.

He said initial investigations indicated that the incident was believed to have been triggered at a gymnasium near the City Plaza shopping centre here during a live band performance by Remember 69 Rundown at 10.30pm on Saturday.

“The victim, the vocalist for Armpunk Sindicate from Ampang, Selangor, was attacked by several men using metal trash cans. The cause of the incident is believed to be from an old misunderstanding that occurred between the main suspect and the victim during a music event in Ampang last year,” he said.

The band had alleged that the vocalist was assaulted for failing to greet and kiss the hands of older individuals who attended the concert.

Raub said the initial three suspects had prior criminal records each and one tested positive for illicit drugs through a screening test.

“The three suspects are now being remanded for four days until Friday for further investigation. Of the remaining three suspects, one currently has a criminal record and the other tested positive for marijuana abuse. All three have been remanded four days until Saturday,” he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for armed rioting, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for misuse of social media networks and Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for introducing drugs into the body.

Raub said police are in the midst of completing the investigation papers for the proposed prosecution of all the suspects in court.

“We are also tracking down any other individuals who may be involved in the incident,” he said.

In the recent incident, that attracted interest from various musical groups, the victim suffered injuries to his head, face and other parts of his body. He was reported to be receiving treatment as an outpatient at the Ampang Hospital.