HILARITY has apparently conquered cyberspace as wheelchairs, tongkat (walking sticks), mask – or even oxygen tanks – have suddenly become much sought-after devices for suspects of corruption, fraud or money laundering cases when they have to make their court appearance.
Coincidence or otherwise, the latest example is that of a 48-year-old gout-stricken travel company owner who had to be wheeled to the Seremban Sessions Court yesterday (Jan 27) for cheating a 53-year-old man of RM115,030 for an umrah (mini-haj) pilgrimage package between Jan 23 and 30, 2024.
Given the condition of Muzzamil Soliheen Musa who had on Feb 2, 2024 pleaded not guilty to the charge, Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam has postponed the hearing to July 7-8.
“Only at 12.30am last night, I was informed by the accused that he would on medical leave (MC) today (Jan 27) and tomorrow (Jan 28) (the two days scheduled for his hearing) due to gout,” revealed defence counsel Mohamed Musthafa.
Interestingly, the accused had also claimed trial to another charge of cheating a 31-year-old woman of RM51,330 for the same purpose.
He was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code for both offences. Offenders can be jailed between one and 10 years, fined and whipped upon conviction.
But instead of being sympathetic to Muzzamil for his health condition, netizens mocked him for being part of the wheelchair trend with one cheekily remarking “one suffering from bisul (boil) and another down with gout” as can be gauged from the above Facebook post by Saja Viral.
The bisul mention was in reference to Salwani Anuar @ Kamaruddin, the 27-year-old third wife of former Army chief Tan Sri Hafizuddeain Jantan arriving on a wheelchair at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court recently to face the charge of purportedly ‘abetting’ her husband in a money laundering case.
Apparently, her lawyer Fahmi Abd. Moin has revealed that his client who hails from Kuala Besut, Terengganu had made her court appearance in a wheelchair due to a chronic boil on her thigh following which she would undergo a surgical procedure in Kuala Lumpur.
The above sarcastic remark can be found in abundance throughout the Saja Viral FB post instead of netizens harping on – perhaps – what moved the accused to cheat his brethren who only wished to fulfill their religious obligation.
As one commenter proffered that “the gout will go away once the accused returns his ill-gotten money”, others wondered why wheelchairs are trending for court hearing “despite the accused being seemingly able-bodied”.
Another simply put forth a ‘brochure’ of the “Malaysian Corruption Charge Court Case Starter Pack”.
Like it or not, all comments across Malay language FB posts on the umrah travel agency owner’s gout-stricken condition bear the “wheelchair trend”, denoting that man-on-the-street Malaysians are frustrated with the rise of corruption, swindling, money laundering and related cases in the country. – Jan 28, 2026
