- Title: Australian F1 strippers walk free from Malaysia court
- Date: 6th October 2016
- Summary: SEPANG, SELANGOR STATE, MALAYSIA (OCTOBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** THREE OF THE AUSTRALIAN MEN WHO STRIPPED DOWN TO THEIR UNDERWEAR AT THE F1 STANDING NEXT TO DOOR LEADING TO COURTROOM PHOTOGRAPHERS STANDING ALL NINE OF THE AUSTRALIAN MEN WALKING AWAY FROM COURTROOM DEFENSE COUNSEL, MUHAMMAD SHAFEE ABDULLAH, STANDING WITH REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEFENSE COUNSEL, MUHAMMAD SHAFEE ABDULLAH, SAYING: "The judge saw the point and granted the order of 173(A), which is an admonishment, and a discharge, which means the charges are struck out. There is no conviction recorded, so they're - how would I say? - They’re clean in terms of their record. They can come in into this country anytime they want, there is no other restriction." CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEFENSE COUNSEL, MUHAMMAD SHAFEE ABDULLAH, SAYING: "We are remorseful of our actions on that day. We had no idea that our conduct would be deemed to be inappropriate, crass or even downright offensive to the citizens of this country. Please know that we do not have the slightest of intention to undermine or degrade the dignity of the Jalur Gemilang (Malaysian flag), this country or her people, please understand that our actions were purely an oversight on our part which stem from our lack of knowledge of the cultural and national sensitivities of the people in Malaysia." FATHER TO ONE OF THE AUSTRALIAN MEN, JOHN WALKER, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FATHER TO ONE OF THE AUSTRALIAN MEN, JOHN WALKER, SAYING: "Well they clearly offended the Malaysians, so they did something wrong. You know, one has to respect the culture and I think they just made a mistake that was impromptu." REPORTER SAYING: "It was naive wasn't it?" "I don't know, I wasn't there to judge, so no comment further." REPORTERS OUTSIDE COURTROOM, COURTROOM SIGN READING (Bahasa Malaysia): "SESSION COURTROOM 1"
- Embargoed: 21st October 2016 08:42
- Keywords: Australia FI court strippers lawyer father
- Location: SEPANG, MALAYSIA
- City: SEPANG, MALAYSIA
- Country: Malaysia
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA00152V9AH1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Malaysian court on Thursday (October 6) dismissed a case against nine Australians arrested for stripping down to their swim wear at last weekend's Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix.
Photos and videos of the men drinking beer from their shoes while wearing swimming trunks printed with the Malaysian flag prompted an outcry on social media and in the Malaysian press, with one official deeming it an "indecent act".
The men had initially pleaded guilty to a public nuisance offense, but judge Harith Sham Mohamed Yasin of the Sepang Sessions Court dismissed the charge with a stern warning.
Stripping down in public at an international event had "provoked the sensitivities of Malaysians" and the symbols of the Malaysian national flag represented not only its people but also Islam, Harith said.
Defense counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had argued in mitigation that some of the nine were part-time beach lifesavers and that stripping down to their swimming trunks was "second nature" to them.
"The charges are struck out," he told reporters outside the courtroom on Thursday, adding; "They're clean in terms of their record. They can come in into this country anytime they want, there is no other restriction."
Shafee Abdullah also read out a statement on behalf of the men.
"We are remorseful of our actions on that day... Please know that we do not have the slightest of intention to undermine or degrade the dignity of the Jalur Gemilang (Malaysian flag), this country or her people, please understand that our actions were purely an oversight on our part which stem from our lack of knowledge of the cultural and national sensitivities of the people in Malaysia."
The father to one of the men, shortly after they walked free from the courtroom, said they had made an "impromptu mistake", and had "clearly offended the Malaysians" so done "something wrong".
Last year, four Western tourists were fined and deported from Malaysia after posing naked on Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, angering locals who consider the mountain sacred. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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