The man became angry when the food he ordered arrived late.

Zaim Faiz Tarmizi pleaded guilty to committing the offence at a restaurant in Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, on June 4. (Bernama pic)

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: A man who was slapped with a seven-day jail term for assaulting a female driver in Lata Iskandar last week was today sentenced to nine days in prison by the magistrates’ court here for slapping two restaurant waiters.

Magistrate Qasiratuljannah Usmani Othman meted out the sentence after Zaim Faiz Tarmizi, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts of intentionally causing hurt to V Dennis Pillai, 23, and foreigner Samir Das at Glory 78 Steamboat Snack Corner Restaurant (Bamboo Biryani) in Tanah Rata at 4.20pm on June 4.

Both charges, framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, carry a maximum jail term of one year or a maximum fine of RM2,000, or both.

The court also imposed a fine of RM1,000, in default nine days’ imprisonment, for each charge and ordered Zaim to serve the jail sentence from the date of his arrest on June 15.

Deputy public prosecutor S Punitha asked for a deterrent sentence as a lesson for the accused.

The accused, who was unrepresented, pleaded for a minimum sentence, saying that his wife will give birth at the end of this month and has a small child to support.

Zaim also said he regretted what he had done and promised not to repeat the offence.

According to the facts of the case, Zaim hurled abusive words at the two victims because the food he ordered arrived late. He slapped Das twice on the left cheek and Pillai four times on both cheeks.

On June 9, the Tapah magistrates’ court sentenced Zaim to seven days in prison after he assaulted a female driver. A video of the incident in Lata Iskandar had gone viral on social media.