The Sandakan Magistrate's Court today slapped a foreigner with a three-year jail sentence for breaking into a restaurant and stealing RM1.

Abu Huraira Razak, 27, who pleaded guilty before Magistrate Faelly Jeffrey Lanjungan, was also ordered to pay a fine of RM5,000 or serve 12 months in prison.

The court also ordered that he be deported back to the Philippines upon completion of his sentence.

Abu Huraira, who was arrested on Sept 15 after committing the theft, had arrived in Malaysia illegally only three days earlier.

He had broken into a restaurant through the back door and stole a ornamental coin box from the counter, which only contained RM1.

A worker, who realised that someone had entered the premises, alerted the police. Abu Huraira was arrested as he attempted to flee the area.

According to Berita Harian, the magistrate ordered that Abu Huraira, who was unrepresented, serve his sentence from the time of arrest.

Abu Huraira was charged under Section 457 of the Penal Code, which deals with trespassing or housebreaking in order to commit an offence punishable with imprisonment.