No laughing matter: Zheng being taken away after sentencing.
SEPANG: A joke by a Chinese national about bombs in his hand luggage on a China Air flight bombed when a magistrate’s court here sentenced him to five days in jail and a fine.
Zheng Hao, 38, had told a flight attendant on Flight CA872 from KL International Airport to Beijing on Monday that his bag was heavy because it contained “two bombs”.
He made the remark when the flight attendant asked him why his bag was heavy as he tried to put it in the overhead compartment.
Yesterday, the insurance broker from Tianjin pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation, which carries up to seven years in jail or a fine, or both.
Counsel James Ee said his client was unaware that he was committing an offence because he was only joking.
“My client made the joke because ‘as heavy as a bomb’ is a common saying in China when describing a heavy load carried by someone. It was an innocent silly joke,” Ee told the court.
DPP Ungku Alfiati Zabeidah Ungku Ismail urged the court to impose a deterrent punishment as a lesson to Zheng and the public.
“Although it was meant to be a joke, the accused caused fear and panic, especially when he was on a long flight to Beijing.
“He also caused the flight to be delayed,” she said.
Magistrate Sharifah Muhaymin Abd Khalib ordered Zheng to serve five days’ jail and be fined RM7,000 in default five months’ jail.
