Fine, jail for joking about bomb on China-bound flight
It is considered common knowledge the worst place to joke about having a bomb is on a commercial flight. Not that there is a good place for bomb threats.
Chinese national, Zheng Hao, 38, didn't get that memo when he joked about carrying two bombs in his bag on board a China Air Flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Beijing.
The insurance broker pleaded guilty to a criminal intimidation charge, which carries a maximum seven-year jail sentence, a fine, or both.
Fortunately for him, he was fined RM7,000 (S$2,339) and sentenced to five days' jail.
Zheng was on board the flight at 12.20am on Monday (Nov 30) when he made the ill-timed joke.
A flight attendant had asked him why his bag was heavy when he was trying to place it in the overhead compartment.
Zheng then joked that it was because it contained two bombs.
His lawyer James Ee said that "it was an innocent and silly joke" and that Zheng was unaware that he was committing an offence.
Ee added: "My client made that joke because 'as heavy as a bomb' is a common saying in China when describing a heavy load carried by someone."
Deputy public prosecutor Ungku Alfiati Zabeidah Ungku Ismail urged the court to slap a deterrent punishment so that it will serve as a lesson to Hao and the public at large.
He said: "The accused caused fear and panic especially as he was on board a long flight to Beijing. He also caused trouble as the flight had to be delayed."
Source: The Star Online
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