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Published: Friday May 10, 2013 MYT 11:59:00 AM
Updated: Friday May 10, 2013 MYT 6:17:20 PM

Two charged over rioting on polling day (Updated)

By NURBAITI HAMDAN


KLANG: Two men were charged in the Magistrate's Court here Friday with alleged involvement in a riot at Pandamaran on polling day.

Yap Kwee Heng, 37, and Lim Siong Kuan, 32, were accused of possessing a helmet and a steel bar used to break the windshield of a City Liner express bus.

They allegedly committed the offence at Jalan Mesra in Pandamaran here at 4.30pm on May 5.

Both pleaded not guilty to the offence under Section 148 of the Penal Code.

If convicted, they face a maximum five-year imprisonment or fine or both.

Yap also faced a second charge of committing mischief by smashing the windshield of a City Liner bus, causing damage of RM5,000 at the same place and time.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence.

He was charged under Section 427 of the Penal Code and faces a two-year jail sentence or fine or both.

DPP Farah Wahida Md Nor offered bail of RM5,000 for each offence.

"This is an interesting case as it involves the 13th general election. The prosecution asks for the RM5,000 bail amount to ensure the attendance of the accused persons," she said.

However, defence lawyer T. Mishant said there was no need for a high bail amount as both the accused had surrendered themselves to the police after their families were contacted by the authorities.

"They were given police bail to show up here in court today and face the charges," he said.

Co-counsel R. Ramesh said Lim worked for his family's business dealing with prayer paraphernalia, and earned between RM3,000 and RM4,000 monthly to support his wife and three children.

Yap, who also has a wife and three children, works as an air-con technician with a RM3,000 monthly income.

Magistrate Maslina Mohamed then fixed bail at RM2,000 with one surety each for Yap and Lim's charge under Section 148 of the Penal Code while Yap was imposed with another RM3,000 bail for his charge under Section 427 of the same code.

Both cases are fixed for mention on June 19.

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