M'sian man, 64, fined S$650 after killing dog in Perak with firecracker

A 64-year-old Malaysian man in was fined RM2,000 (S$650) on Feb. 27 after he killed a stray dog with a firecracker in Perak.

According to The Star, Wong Phan Sang threw a firecracker at the dog along Jalan Seroja in Perak's Pusing town at around 7:30pm on Jan. 28.

He had allegedly "acted out of fear" after the dog reportedly chased and tried to bite him.

Threw firecracker to scare dog away

According to Wong's lawyer Choong Hui Yean, he was allegedly chased by the dog while riding his motorcycle on Jan. 26.

He fell after it reportedly tried to bite him.

On Jan. 28, Wong chanced upon the same dog again while out on a walk.

He later retrieved a firecracker and threw it on the ground to scare the dog away, as it had charged at him.

However, the dog died after biting the firecracker instead.

Residents reportedly heard a "loud explosion" near a restaurant in the area.

CCTV footage obtained on Jan. 29 showed Wong throwing an object towards the dog.

Local authorities later arrested him on Jan. 30.

Wong also surrendered a plastic container containing a lighter and six ball-type firecrackers during investigations.

"Acted out of fear": Defence lawyer

Deputy public prosecutor Monisha Pandey noted that animal abuse cases have been on the rise and called for a deterrent punishment.

She added that Wong should have reported the matter to the local authorities instead of resorting to a firecracker, which could also pose a risk to members of the public.

Choong claimed that Wong had "acted out of fear", adding that he has been treatment for anxiety since 2020.

She also argued that the dog was believed to be a pet and it had a collar despite failed attempts to identify the owner.

Wong has since settled the RM2,000 (S$650) fine.

Top photos via Sinar Harian & Canva