40 men pleaded not guilty as illegal gang members

JOHOR BAHRU, Sept 12 (Bernama) -- Forty men pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate’s Court here today on charges of being members of an illegal organisation ‘Jee Jin Tong” early this year.

Twenty-five of them made the plea before Magistrate Azureen Sahirah Saufee Afandi while another 15 made their plea before Magistrate Siti Hajar Ali after the charges were read separately in the same courtroom.

Based on the charge sheet, all of them aged in between their 20’s and 60’s were charged for being members of Jee Jin Tong which is an illegal organisation at Jalan Permas, Bandar Permas Jaya here on Jan 14.

They were charged under Section 43 of the Societies Act which carries a maximum of three years in jail or fine up to RM5,000 or both if found guilty.

The men are Seow Hwee Kiang, Lee Boon Hui, Fung Ka Siong, Chua Kah Tat, Mah Jia Fei, Lai Kah Fei, Wilson Chua Yue Hua, Lim Wen Hao, Eugene Chiam Tow Shen, Chan Chun Fei, Yap Boon Chuan and Benny Chang Xin Hao.

The others are Lau Fook Soon, Liew Yun Choy, Jacky See Jiin Long, Ng Zhen Lun, Ng Soon Kiat, Lim Heng Kiaw, Wong Jin Wei, Dinesh Balakrishnan, Sau Kah Kwee, Ong Hwee Hau, Lew Kai Yann, Kok Kat Ting, Koh Xian Ming, Lim Thiam Poon, Eric Mah Wai Soon, Tan Hong Chai, Tan Chee Hong, Leong Wen Hao, Tan Xiang Wei, Koh Suei Chuan, Lee Choon Seng, Jimmy Seah Thian Heng as well as Wong Siau Boon.

Also charged were Gan Jia Ji, Yip Kah Hoo, Fong Ling Chiow, Leong Zhong Hen and Woon Kian Hui.

The court only allowed 35 of them to go on bail at RM3,000 in one surety each.

Those not allowed bail were Gan, Yip, Fong, Leong and Woon as they have other charges related to Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

The court set Oct 10 for mention.

-- BERNAMA