Johor bahru: An e-hailing driver pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate's Court here today to a charge of outraging the modesty of a female passenger earlier this month. Alvin Choo Chee Hong, 26, entered the plea after the charge was read before Magistrate A Shaarmini.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the accused, who is also a full-time government school teacher, was charged with using criminal force on a foreign woman with the intent of violating her modesty. The alleged offence occurred on February 1 between 5:30 pm and 6:00 pm between Kedai Emas Ros Merah in Taman Abad, Jalan Harimau Tarum, Taman Century, and R and F Princess Cove on Jalan Tanjung Puteri 1, Tanjung Puteri, in Johor Bahru.

Choo faces charges under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which prescribes up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine, or caning, or any two of the punishments, upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Syafiqah Sha'ari represented the prosecution, while the accused was defended by lawyer Mark Jeyakumar. During the proceedings, Nurul Syafiqah proposed a bail amount of RM10,000 with one surety.

The defence requested a reduction, highlighting that Choo is the family's eldest, with two younger siblings who are still in higher education. His mother is a housewife, and his father, an assistant engineer, earns approximately RM4,000 a month. The court set March 13 for the case mention and document submission, and granted bail at RM2,000 with one surety, which the accused posted.

Previously, media reports indicated that an e-hailing driver was arrested on February 4 to aid investigations following a police report by a Vietnamese woman regarding the incident. On February 3, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook reportedly ordered the Road Transport Department to revoke the e-hailing driver's Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license, prohibiting him from operating on any e-hailing platform.