Tourist van driver Elanggovan Muniyandi and taxi driver Vengateswaran Malaisamy, both 51, were charged over the incident which took place at the Nasi Kandar Pelita restaurant at about 7.40pm on March 16.

A video clip showing the incident went viral on social media.

Elanggovan faces a charge under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt with a pair of tongs, for which he may be liable to a maximum jail term of 10 years or a fine, or with whipping, or any two of such punishments, upon conviction.

He also faces three other charges jointly with Vengateswaran under Section 323 of the Penal Code for causing hurt, Section 427 for causing mischief by throwing plates belonging to the restaurant, and Section 509 for uttering obscenities at the restaurant’s foreign workers.

Section 323 prescribes a jail term of up to one year or a maximum fine of RM2,000, or both, if convicted.

Section 427 will see them liable to a minimum jail term of one year or a fine, or both, and Section 509 prescribes a jail term which may extend to five years or a fine, or both.

The duo pleaded not guilty when the charges were read before them.

Magistrate Ayuni Izzaty Sulaiman ordered Elanggovan and Vengateswaran to post bail of RM11,600 and RM8,600, respectively.

They were also barred from interacting with the victims and ordered to report to the police station once a month.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Sabrina Zubairi prosecuted while lawyer Lingeswaran Andiappan represented Elanggovan and Vengateswaran.

The trial will commence on May 10.