Lim Keng Liang, 37, and Lim Su Quinn, 29, pleaded guilty to stealing the statue at the Penang Buddhist Association prayer hall on Anson Road about 8.30am on Dec 11.
Keng Liang’s lawyer R Puran told the court his client had expressed remorse for his actions and vowed to hold a special prayer at the same temple to seek repentance.
Puran said Keng Liang was just a helper at his father’s antique shop and was very “sorry and regretful” of his actions.
Su Quinn’s lawyer Jefferey Ooi said his client was also remorseful and had extended full cooperation to the police.
Deputy public prosecutor Atiqah Abdul Karim urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence as the crime took place at a place of worship.
Magistrate Qasiratul Jannah Usmani Othman then fined the duo RM7,500 each or 12 months’ jail.
In the Dec 11 incident, Keng Liang was caught on a closed-circuit TV (CCTV) camera stealing the marble reclining Buddha statue from the temple.
The temple’s caretakers had only noticed the statue missing a week later and handed over CCTV footage to the police.
Keng Liang’s friend, Su Quinn, was with him at the time of the incident.
Police later traced both of them using a car and recovered the statue from Keng Liang.
91-year-old sleeping Buddha statue recovered by Penang police