KUALA LUMPUR - A total of 34 men were fined by the Magistrate's Court here today after pleading guilty to participating in a riot at an entertainment centre in Cheras last week which also involved firearms and explosives.
Magistrate Faezahnoor Hassan imposed a fine of RM3,000 on 32 accused aged between 21 and 57, and ordered them to serve four months' jail if they failed to pay the fine.
They are Tan Chee Chin, G. Bathmanathan, M. Kogilan, Lim Puay Fei, Kevin Yong Kai Wen, Ong Zhi Jian, Looi Khai Xuan, Voison Chor, Tan Jun Ning, Hee Tuck Choy, Ching Thong Hai, Kee Jin Xuan, Lim Teong Yow, Chan Kuang Man and Ho Chee Seong.
The other accused are Wong Chee Siong, Liang Chung Weng, G. Srikanth, A. Ganesan, Lee Ming Choong, Wong Wai Khuen, Khor Ka Lok, Ong Zheng Yuan, Yam Hao Jie, Lim Jia Cheng, Chai Chun You, Kher Kuan Heng, Ong Aik Chim, Chong Khai Jun, Hadzrin Julasrin, Lee Tuck Wah and Chin Chin Chung.
Two other accused, Alvin Yong Kai Zhe and Chong Yu Heng, aged 19, were fined RM2,000 or three months' imprisonment.
According to the charge, all of them were charged with participating in a riot and possessing firearms, ammunition, explosives, sticks and stones that could be used to attack and cause burns and injuries.
The offence was committed at a karaoke centre in Cheras, near here, at 7.30 pm, April 5 and they were charged under Section 148 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years or a fine or both.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Farhana Mohamad Poad asked the court to impose a commensurate sentence as a lesson to all the accused, taking into account the incident had caused public commotion and fear.
Lawyer Mohammad Arifin Abdul Wahab, who represented all the accused, requested a light fine on the grounds that their plea had saved the court's costs and time, in addition to the fact that the offence was the clients’ first offence.
"Please give them a second chance because my clients have regretted and apologised for the offence committed," he said.
Earlier, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus was reported to have said that the riot was believed to have stemmed from a disagreement between business rivals and revenge, with the group suspected of being recruited by a secret society.
He said the group involved broke into the premises using a lorry to smash through the fence before damaging the front and lobby of the premises using weapons such as baseball bats. - BERNAMA