National taekwondo athlete Nur Dhia Liyana Shaharuddin was ordered by the Sessions Court here today to apologise to a senior citizen with visual and hearing impairment for assaulting him at the Putra Heights LRT station two years ago.

The order was made in chambers by Sessions Court judge Lalilatul Zuraida Harron@Harun in allowing a civil suit filed on Dec 6, 2017, by Placid P. Rodriguez, 71, against the athlete for attacking and kicking him in the incident.

Rodriguez’s lawyer, Datuk Dr S. Arunan, who informed reporters on the decision after the chamber-proceeding, said Lalilatul Zuraida ordered Nur Dhia Liyana, 25, to submit a written apology to be published in print media within a month from today.

"The court also ordered the athlete to pay RM1,000 in general damages, RM88 in special damages and cost of RM1,000 to the plaintiff (Rodriguez),” he added.

In his statement of claim, Rodriguez stated that on July 6, 2017, he took the LRT to return home from work and on arrival at the Putra Heights station, let other passengers get down from the train first to avoid being pushed.

After most of the passengers had alighted, Rodriguez said he then walked out of the LRT towards the platform and was then pushed by the athlete.

He said he was in shock and through a hearing aid, he could hear a woman’s voice scolding and screaming at him using words that embarrassed him.

Rodriguez also claimed that the athlete assaulted him, despite him pleading for her to stop and that the incident was recorded by a closed circuit television camera at the Putra Heights LRT station.

He claimed the incident caused him to suffer pain, mental and emotional distress, as well as being traumatised to go out alone.

- Bernama