A man whose brutal attack on a kitten sparked widespread outrage online has been sentenced to 22 months in prison after failing to pay a RM60,000 fine imposed by the Sessions Court Shah Alam.
M’sian man gets 22-month’s jail sentence
Judge Nor Hasniah Ab Razak handed down the sentence to 39-year-old Mohd Daniel Hakim Abdullah after he pleaded guilty to committing an act of cruelty that resulted in the animal’s death. The court ordered that the jail term begin immediately.
The offence took place in between 4:50-5:00 morning of 3 October 2025 at an apartment in Section U16, Shah Alam. Mohd Daniel, a mechanic, admitted to kicking and throwing a white kitten with such force that it later died from its injuries.
Incident captured on CCTV
Court proceedings revealed that the accused had encountered two black-and-white kittens outside his residence. He placed the animals into a bag and carried them to the front of a neighbour’s home. After removing them from the bag, he proceeded to kick both kittens.
The violent act was recorded on closed-circuit television (CCTV), and the footage quickly circulated across social media platforms, prompting public anger and leading to official complaints.
Animal Welfare officers from Selangor arrived at the scene on 9:15pm that day and discovered one white kitten already dead and buried. A post-mortem conducted several days later confirmed severe injuries, including a fractured skull, broken ribs and internal bleeding in the lungs. The kitten’s death was attributed to respiratory failure caused by the trauma.
Plea for leniency rejected
Mohd Daniel was charged under Section 29(1)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 (Act 772), which provides for a fine of between RM20,000 and RM100,000, imprisonment of up to three years, or both upon conviction.
According to Sinar Harian, the defence lawyer Amirah Badriyah Azahar urged the court to impose a lighter sentence of less than one year’s imprisonment, arguing that Mohd Daniel could not afford the fine due to his monthly income of about RM1,700. She said he supports his wife, their seven-month-old child and his 76-year-old father, who is critically ill. She also informed the court that Mohd Daniel suffers from hypertension and chronic migraines.
The defence further explained that the accused had been under stress due to ongoing issues with stray cats defecating outside his home, which had caused tension with his neighbours. Overcome by anger and frustration, he lost control and committed the act, she said, adding that he has since expressed remorse.
However, the prosecution, represented by Mohd Sharif Sabran from the Selangor State Veterinary Services Department, pressed for a stern penalty. He emphasised the seriousness of the offence and argued that a strong sentence was necessary to send a clear message that cruelty towards animals would not be tolerated.
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