JOHOR BARU: A 65-year-old retired civil servant was charged in the magistrate's court here today for assaulting a non-Muslim man who ate in public during Ramadan.

Abdul Razak Ismail pleaded not guilty after an amended charge was read before magistrate A. Shaarmini.

He is accused of intentionally causing injury to Elijah Ling Zhao Zhong, 21, on the first floor of a shopping mall in Tampoi at around 6.15pm last Sunday.

"The charge, under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt, carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutors Nor Afiqah Musa and Nur Fatihah Mohd Nizam appeared for the prosecution, while Abdul Razak was represented by lawyer Mohd Salleh Togimin.

The prosecutors initially proposed a bail of RM8,000, but the defence argued that the amount was excessive, given the accused's status as a pensioner supporting three children, one of whom is still in university

The magistrate later set bail at RM2,000 with one surety.

The case will be mentioned again on April 29 for document submission.

Earlier today, the court had discharged Abdul Razak without acquitting him after the prosecution sought to refer the investigation papers back to the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) in Putrajaya.

The case follows a viral video showing an elderly man confronting a young man for allegedly eating in public during Ramadan.

The situation escalated when the man demanded to see the youth's identification card to confirm his religion.

When the youth refused, the elderly man allegedly scolded and slapped him multiple times.