SUNGAI PETANI: Six individuals, including an activist from a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), were each fined RM1,500 by the magistrate’s court here today after pleading guilty to playing poker by the roadside last month.
The accused — Ch’ng Lye Beng, 83; Tiw Soo Chea, 48; Loh Hai Thang, 60; Lam Sin Taik, 60; Saw Boon Seong, 53; and NGO activist Ang Luck Hup, 53 — pleaded guilty before magistrate Muhammad Syaiful Akmal Mohamad Razi.
According to the charge, they were caught playing poker for money by the roadside near an alley in Bandar Laguna Merbok at about 10.40pm on July 10.
The offence, under Section 7(2) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum fine of RM5,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Adlin Sufiya Kamaruzzaman appeared for the prosecution, while all six accused were represented by lawyer Nagarathinam Natesan.
In mitigation, Nagarathinam urged the court to impose a fine below RM2,000 on Ang to ensure his community work would not be disrupted.
The court fined each accused RM1,500, in default 14 days’ imprisonment, and ordered the confiscated betting money to be forfeited to the government.
All fines were settled at the court complex.
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