Dancer Bilqis Hijjas charged over balloon incident at mall

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KUALA LUMPUR: Dancer Bilqis Hijjas was today charged at the Magistrate’s Court here with committing mischief to make people angry on the afternoon of National Day (Aug 31) by releasing yellow-coloured balloons at a shopping mall in the city.

Bilqis, 36, who was dubbed ‘Balloon Girl” after the incident, however, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to her before Magistrate Nur Azura Murah.

According to the chargesheet, Bilqis is alleged to have behaved in an insulting manner aimed at causing anger among the people whereby public order could have been disrupted by her act of releasing the said coloured balloons from Level 5 to the foyer of the Pavillion Shopping mall in Jalan Bukit Bintang here at 3.15 pm on Aug 31.

She was charged under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 and is liable to be fined up to RM100, if convicted.

During the proceedings, deputy public prosecutors Shukor Abu Bakar and Mohd Farizul Hassan Bakri suggested bail be set at RM500 in one surety.

However, counsel Michelle Yesudas, who represented the accused, asked that bail be set between RM100 and RM150 in view of the punishment if found guilty being a maximum fine of just RM100.

“We suggest she post a personal bond, more so she being a famous dancer and a lecturer at a local university,” said the lawyer.

Nur Azura set bail at RM500 in one surety and fixed Oct 26 for re-mention.

Bilqis’s family posted bail.-Bernama