Court dismisses suit over shooting of dog ‘Kopi’

2026-02-26 - 09:34

Screenshots from a video of Kopi playing with a stray cat which went viral on social media in 2024. KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Terengganu High Court has dismissed a lawsuit by four animal activists against the Besut district council and Terengganu government over the shooting of a stray dog named Kopi. Counsel Adam Luqman Amdan, representing the Besut council, said the decision was delivered by judicial commissioner Yusrin Faidz Yusoff during online proceedings today. The court ruled that the plaintiffs had no locus standi to file the originating summons as none of them was a Besut resident and they had failed to demonstrate a real and genuine interest in the subject matter. The judicial commissioner also found that the declaratory relief sought – that the Besut council’s shooting of Kopi contravened Section 29(1)(e) and 30 of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 (Act 772) – amounted to an attempt to enforce criminal law through a civil action. “The court agreed with our submission that these reliefs would, in essence, determine criminal liability through civil proceedings, thereby contravening Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution concerning the separation of powers and circumventing the prosecutorial powers of the attorney-general,” said Adam. The lawyer said the court also noted that Section 30 of Act 772 permits the use of firearms for animal population control. “The court held that the shooting of animals for the purpose of population control is in accordance with the Act’s provisions and Section 9(1) and (2) of the Besut district council’s dog licensing by-laws,” he added. The court further ruled that the Terengganu government was not vicariously liable in the matter. The council was also represented by Zaid Daud and Munzeer Zainul Abidin, while the state government was represented by federal counsel Zulfazliah Mahmud. The plaintiffs – Dr Kartini Farah Abdul Rahim, S Mukunnan, Hong Hai San and S Shashi Kumar – as representatives of the Selangor Stray Dogs and Cats Welfare Association, were represented by lawyer Harvinpal Kaur. The four activisits filed the suit in December 2024 naming the council and the Terengganu government as the first and second defendants. They had sought a declaration that the shooting of Kopi violated Sections 29(e) and 30(1) of Act 772, which they argued prohibit the use of firearms on animals. They also challenged the validity of certain provisions in the Besut council’s dog licensing by-laws, claiming these were inconsistent with Act 772. In October 2024, Besut district council president Sukeri Ibrahim had defended Kopi’s shooting, saying the disposal of the stray dog was carried out in accordance with established procedures, denying allegations that the dog’s carcass had been abandoned after being shot. The case gained further attention when a 52-second video surfaced showing Kopi lying lifeless after sustaining serious injuries. The video, shared widely, showed a resident discovering the dog’s body after hearing gunshots. The video sparked outrage among animal lovers, igniting a nationwide debate on animal rights and justice for the stray dog.