Paul Yong loses final bid, begins eight year sentence for rape

PUTRAJAYA - Former Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong Choo Kiong began serving his eight-year sentence at Kajang Prison today, following the Federal Court's decision to uphold his rape conviction.

A three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, unanimously dismissed Yong's final appeal against the conviction of raping his maid six years ago.

"The conviction is safe and the majority decision in the Court of Appeal is appropriate," said Justice Wan Ahmad Farid, sitting with Federal Court judges Datuk Nordin Hassan and Datuk Hanipah Farikullah.

Yong, 55, had appealed a ruling by the Court of Appeal, upholding the High Court’s original conviction of raping his 23-year-old Indonesian maid.

In July 2022, the High Court sentenced Yong to 13 years' jail and two strokes of the cane; however, in March 2024, the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to eight years, maintaining the two strokes of the cane.

Former Tronoh assemblyman Paul Yong Choo Kiong began serving his eight-year sentence at Kajang Prison today, following the Federal Court's decision to uphold his rape conviction. Photo by Bernama

In delivering the court's ruling, Justice Wan Ahmad Farid said the appellant, Yong, had challenged the application of Section 265A of the Criminal Procedure Code, contending that his right to a fair trial was denied because the victim, who was the 15th prosecution witness, gave evidence in a closed session and was not subjected to cross-examination by the defence counsel.

The victim had testified under the provisions of Section 20 of the Witness Protection Act 2009 and Section 265A of the Criminal Procedure Code as the key witness.

However, Justice Wan Ahmad Farid found that there had been no miscarriage of justice against Yong, nor was the prosecution's case prejudiced by this procedure, as the victim was lawfully classified as a protected witness.

He further stated that the Federal Court was satisfied that the victim was a credible witness and that the High Court had been correct to accept her testimony.

"The trial judge is the most appropriate party to assess the demeanour of witnesses when giving testimony in the High Court," he said. - BERNAMA