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Drunk Malaysian Student ‘Behaved Like Terrorist’ on Plane

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Drunk Malaysian ‘behaved like terrorist’ on plane

By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

April 15, 2011

 

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — An intoxicated Malaysian graduate had to be handcuffed and bound to his seat during a flight to Australia on July 22 last year, the Melbourne magistrate’s court was told yesterday.

 

Khairulddin Mohammad Yahya, 22, a Melbourne University honours graduate, behaved like a “terrorist” while on board the flight and had cursed loudly at the inflight supervisor and poked him in the chest before the captain left the cockpit to deal with him.

 

The incident, which was reported by Australian newspaper The Age, stated that Khairulddin swore loudly at the supervisor while a passenger told his mother to shut him up because he was frightening people.

 

Prosecutor Aman Dhillon told the court that Khairulddin repeatedly left his economy-class seat and sat next to his mother in business class after her requests for his upgrade were refused.

 

Dhillon said hours after the Malaysia Airlines flight left Kuala Lumpur on July 22 last year, he was seen in the vacant seat next to his mother. He complied with a request to return to his seat but soon after reappeared, after which the supervisor detected alcohol on him.

 

The prosecutor said that several hours before landing Khairulddin again sat in business where he called the supervisor a ‘‘mother******’’ and to ‘‘**** all of you’’.

 

The captain, who noticed Khairulddin slurred his words and smelt of alcohol, asked his mother to tell him to return to his seat and stop harassing the crew.

 

Khairulddin agreed, but later returned four times to business class before he was handcuffed in his seat and then was restrained with his ankles tied with tape.

 

Dhillon said his mother tried to loosen the handcuffs and lead Khairulddin to the toilet, then she began screaming hysterically and fell to the floor as he shouted threats.

 

Khairulddin however co-operated with Australian police when the plane landed.

 

According to Dhillon, some of the flight crew felt threatened and some passengers appeared stressed and frightened. One was crying.

 

Defence lawyer Anna Balmer said Khairulddin was ‘‘somewhat intoxicated’’ but wanted to sit with his mother who had medical conditions that included chronic anxiety, neurosis and depression.

 

Balmer said Khairulddin, a chemical engineer, acted uncharacteristically with poor judgment and behaviour, and that a conviction could jeopardise his visa status and work.

 

Senior magistrate Dan Muling told Khairulddin, who pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour on an aircraft, that he was out of control.

 

‘‘It’s like you’re a terrorist on a plane,’’ Muling said.

 

Khairulddin was convicted and fined A$1,500 (RM4,500).

 

from here

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He deserved to be fined and convicted. Btw, they not going to fine him for drinking alcohol since he is a muslim?

 

What he does is between him and his maker. Who are we to judge? Are you an advocate of taliban policy? Certainly not in Melbourne.

Edited by KK Lee

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Bravo for MH crew for protecting the 'prestige' of the Business Class product and not allowing a self-upgrade incident like this to happen onboard. I hope the same strictness to be applied by all MH's check-in agents on the ground as well who are well known to notoriously give free upgrades to those 'with connections'.

 

He deserved to be fined and convicted. Btw, they not going to fine him for drinking alcohol since he is a muslim?

I think this is because he was convicted in Melbourne. It would be a different case if this incident happened on a flight on the opposite direction and the case is brought to the local shariah court.

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His mother's flying in Business, can't his family afford another Business seat?

 

As for the alcohol drinking issue, yeah well it's true it's between him and the maker. But at the very least other Muslims must reprimand him for doing so.

 

Anyways, that'll be OT already.

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Good on him, but I wish he got jailed for his idiotic behavior. 1500 is nothing for an engineer. I bet he got banned from flying MH.

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Local media makes no mention of the drunken part...attempt to screen him?

 

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/4/15/nation/20110415171411&sec=nation

 

Malaysian engineer fined for disorderly conduct on plane

 

MELBOURNE: A Malaysian Melbourne University honours graduate was fined A$1,500 (RM4,770) for disorderly behaviour on board a Malaysia Airlines flight from Malaysia on July 22 last year, The Age newspaper reported.

 

Khairulddin Mohammad Yahya, 22, had sworn loudly at the in-flight supervisor and poked him in the chest before the captain left the cockpit to deal with him, the newspaper said.

 

Prosecutor Aman Dhillon told the Magistrates Court here that Khairulddin left his economy seat several times and sat next to his mother in the business class after her requests for an upgrade of his seat were refused.

 

Hours before the plane landed, Khairulddin again sat in business class where he later shouted abuse at the supervisor.

 

Defence lawyer Anna Balmer said Khairulddin, a chemical engineer, had wanted to sit with his mother who had medical conditions and that he had acted uncharacteristically with poor judgment and behaviour.

 

The report said Khairulddin had to be handcuffed in his seat and then was restrained with his ankles tied with tape.

 

He had pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour on an aircraft, the report said. - Bernama

 

What he does is between him and his maker. Who are we to judge? Are you an advocate of taliban policy? Certainly not in Melbourne.

In chastising Mike P for "judging", you are yourself are guilty of the same "crime". Face it. We all judge. Even you. And prohibition against drinking is not Taliban policy - it's basic Islamic - but that's a story for another day. Thank you.

Edited by H Azmal

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Local media makes no mention of the drunken part...attempt to screen him?

Anak some VIP perhaps, you knowla this thing kan very typical among those 'with connections'.

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Whilst his behaviour was unacceptable and he deserves being fined I wonder how much alcohol he was served on the flight.

 

I have seen two instances on flights (not MH like this one was) where passengers have started drinking heavily soon after take-off and the stewards/stewardesses have continued to serve alcohol even when it was obvious to all around they were drunk and disturbing other passengers.

 

Maybe MH should be like Saudi Airlines and not serve alcohol :drinks:

 

Geoff

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Maybe MH should be like Saudi Airlines and not serve alcohol :drinks:

That would make MH disadvantageous, especially when its competitors, notably those big players from ME, offer free flow to passengers.

 

 

 

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I think this is because he was convicted in Melbourne. It would be a different case if this incident happened on a flight on the opposite direction and the case is brought to the local shariah court.

 

Even if he was arrested @KUL on arrival, I dont think he will be brought to the local Shariah court as there is a burden of proof that needs to be fulfilled. Him behaving like a drunkard onboard and reports from the crew that he smelled of alcohol are insufficient to convict. I think you will need the smoking gun. But this is already OT.

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Even if he was arrested @KUL on arrival, I dont think he will be brought to the local Shariah court as there is a burden of proof that needs to be fulfilled. Him behaving like a drunkard onboard and reports from the crew that he smelled of alcohol are insufficient to convict. I think you will need the smoking gun. But this is already OT.

Agreed! Since when Muslim are banned from drinking alcohol in Malaysia especially big city like KL? Muslim people even can buy alcoholic drinks at 7-Eleven freely. Muslim are not allowed to take alcohol only at certain Malaysian states such as Kelantan,Pahang and Perlis....

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I think stating him behaving like a terrorist is an overstatement! If that is considered a terrorist behavior, then every weeknights in all the pubs and clubbing areas, these places deserved to be blown to bits by Nato Air campaigns as they are all full of terrorist like people <_ terrorist don poke people on the chest and curse words they blow to pieces. media has problems defining intoxication effect terror src="%7B___base_url___%7D/uploads/emoticons/default_blum.gif" alt=":p">

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Whilst his behaviour was unacceptable and he deserves being fined I wonder how much alcohol he was served on the flight.

 

I have seen two instances on flights (not MH like this one was) where passengers have started drinking heavily soon after take-off and the stewards/stewardesses have continued to serve alcohol even when it was obvious to all around they were drunk and disturbing other passengers.

 

Maybe MH should be like Saudi Airlines and not serve alcohol :drinks:

 

Geoff

 

Agreed, regardless of this particular incident, I personally think MH should just be a 'dry' airline, but I just don't see it happening.. :nea:

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Great, Malaysia in the lame light again..

 

It should be a heavier penalty on the brat.

When such unruliness happened in an aircraft, it caused much stress to passengers and crews alike.

 

Blaming the aircraft for serving alcohol? No, that's not right. Blame it on poor up bringing.

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Plane rage pops business-class bubbles

Nino Bucci

July 27, 2011 - 3:08PM

 

art_yahya_1504-200x0.jpg

 

Khairulddin Mohammad Yahya. Photo: Paul Rovere

 

A judge has told a Melbourne University honours graduate who had to be handcuffed and bound to his seat during a flight that he should not have interrupted business class passengers from enjoying their champagne.

 

Khairulddin Mohammad Yahya swore loudly at the inflight supervisor and repeatedly poked him in the chest - behaviour described in court earlier this year as similar to that of a terrorist - before the captain left the cockpit to deal with him.

 

But Judge Geoffrey Chettle said in the County Court today that Yahya had made no reference to bombs or terrorism during the incident, which started when Yahya attempted to sit with his mother in business class on the Malaysian Airlines flight in July 2009.

 

Advertisement: Story continues below

Yahya, 22, had pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour on an aircraft but was appealing the conviction and $1500 fine he was sentenced to in April this year. Senior magistrate Dan Muling told him at the time: "It's like you're a terrorist on a plane".

 

Judge Chettle overturned the conviction but ordered Yahya to pay $2000 to UNICEF and placed him on a 12-month good behaviour bond.

 

He said Yahya's behaviour was unacceptable but young men and university students had always done stupid things.

 

"It was offensive behaviour, and it just happened to occur in an aeroplane and not on the street," he said.

 

"People on aeroplanes are entitled to sit in business class and drink their champagne without dealing with unruly passengers.

 

"If it had been on the bus, he would have been thrown off, but they can't throw him off an aeroplane."

 

Prosecutor Matt Challen said Yahya's mother had requested an upgrade for her son about two hours after leaving Malaysia but when it was refused he sat next to her anyway. He was repeatedly told to return to economy class, only to return to business class minutes later.

 

Less than three hours before arriving in Melbourne, Yahya called the cabin supervisor a "motherf-----" and said "f--- all of you" after he was again confronted about sitting in the wrong area. He also poked the man several times in the chest.

 

The captain, who noticed Yahya slurred his words and smelt of alcohol, asked his mother to tell him to return to his seat and stop harassing the crew.

 

Yahya complied, but later returned four times to business class before he was handcuffed in his seat and then was restrained with his ankles tied with tape.

 

Mr Challen said his mother collapsed and screamed hysterically when she tried to loosen his handcuffs and take him to the toilet.

 

Defence barrister Tony Burns said Yahya wanted to sit with his mother because she had a long history of suffering migraines and anxiety problems. He said his client drank four heavy beers over about 10 hours before the incident.

 

Mr Burns said Yahya's prospects of gaining employment and permanent residency would be damaged if the conviction was upheld. Yahya graduated as a chemical engineer with honours last year and had been offered a job in Western Australia, while his permanent residency application was pending.

 

The former Geelong Grammar student, whose father is the chairman of a Malaysian company, had been sent to Australia from Malaysia to study in 2003. Mr Burns said Yahya was the first member of his family who had been in trouble with the law.

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-incidents/plane-rage-pops-businessclass-bubbles-20110727-1hzon.html#ixzz1THkflmUd

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Great, Malaysia in the lame light again..

 

Hehe.. how true!

 

4 beers can't get him that drunk. They don't serve those big bottles or by the pint on the plane, so he must have had 4 cans at maximum. Doesn't sound right. Furthermore, good call to drink yourself silly when your mother needs help with her medical condition!

Edited by Azman MN

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His father is chairman of a Malaysian company, his mother can afford to fly business class, his family can afford to send him to study overseas from secondary level, and yet the family waited until the plane is in the air for 2 hours to ask for seat upgrade? Damn freeloaders.

 

I wished they named his father's company so I can boycott it!

Edited by Mohd Suhaimi Fariz

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His lawyer is asking the court to be lenient just so that his application for PR in Australia will not be jeopardise ... do you think the Australian judiciary is keen to facilitate this? Why would Australia need another troublesome person on the street?

 

Obviously such a family is used to pushing others around and you cannot begin to imagine how much grief they have previously given to MAS crews. I am always an advocate of strong reaction by crew members to disorderly passengers who not only threaten the peace onboard but could also cause fear and distress among other passengers (especially elderly, children and those who are unwell).

 

Another pat on the back for the MH crew.

 

Knowing what the Islamic guidance on consumption of alcohol ... I can only imagine the awkwardness in the following situation: Imagine the MH crew member is a dutiful Muslim who does not drink alcohol, who is well-informed about Islamic teachings and was requested by a Muslim passenger to serve alcohol. Would serving alcohol to this Muslim passenger make the crew member an "accomplice" to the wrong-doing or can the crew member instead request the "help" of a non-Muslim crew member in serving this passenger? Perhaps someone here is familiar with cabin crew training in MH and could cast some light on this. In any case, it must be really tough for cabin crew, their trainers and those formulating policies on service delivery.

 

KC Sim

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His name and photo is splayed all over the Australian media.. Even if he were to get his PR, it would have been very embarassing. But he deserves it. Personally I hope troublemakers like him won't get PR.

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He deserved what he has done.

 

His lawyer is asking the court to be lenient just so that his application for PR in Australia will not be jeopardise ... do you think the Australian judiciary is keen to facilitate this? Why would Australia need another troublesome person on the street?

 

Obviously such a family is used to pushing others around and you cannot begin to imagine how much grief they have previously given to MAS crews. I am always an advocate of strong reaction by crew members to disorderly passengers who not only threaten the peace onboard but could also cause fear and distress among other passengers (especially elderly, children and those who are unwell).

 

Another pat on the back for the MH crew.

 

Knowing what the Islamic guidance on consumption of alcohol ... I can only imagine the awkwardness in the following situation: Imagine the MH crew member is a dutiful Muslim who does not drink alcohol, who is well-informed about Islamic teachings and was requested by a Muslim passenger to serve alcohol. Would serving alcohol to this Muslim passenger make the crew member an "accomplice" to the wrong-doing or can the crew member instead request the "help" of a non-Muslim crew member in serving this passenger? Perhaps someone here is familiar with cabin crew training in MH and could cast some light on this. In any case, it must be really tough for cabin crew, their trainers and those formulating policies on service delivery.

 

KC Sim

 

Remember the time when a muslim woman was canned for drinking alcohol? Not only she was punished but the waitress who served her was also punished, too.

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Only Four!!:rofl: Kiddo

Yup, and over a 10 hour period too :rofl:

Either the subject not able handle alcohol too well or liver function not quite up to the mark :)

But then also must not discount possibility of 'under influence of alcohol' being used as an excuse for a flawed character to start with :)

I suppose the honourable Judge Chettle must have good reason(s) to have overturned the conviction. Will be interesting to see if the prosecutors will appeal :)

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