Teen among three charged over viral group clash in front of surau

New Straits Times

6 hours ago

MUAR: Three men, including a teenager, claimed trial in separate courts here today to multiple charges linked to a violent clash between two groups that went viral last month.
The accused Zeff Tan Kai Xuan, 19; a 17-year-old; and, Lau Kian Liang, 32, were charged separately with causing injuries, vandalism and criminal assault using weapons, including a machete and rattan cane.
In the Sessions Court, Tan and the teenager were jointly charged with voluntarily causing hurt using a rattan cane on a 32-year-old man in front of a surau in Jalan Sakeh at 12.45am on June 9.
They were charged under Section 326 of the Penal Code, which carries sentences of up to 20 years' jail, a fine or whipping upon conviction.
Judge Sayani Mohd Nor allowed bail at RM7,000 each and fixed Aug 27 for document submission.
Deputy public prosecutor Diyana Najihah Muhamed Fauzi prosecuted, while Low Song Kuan represented the accused.
In a separate magistrate's court, Tan and the teenager were charged with committing mischief by smashing the windscreen of the same victim's car, under Section 427 of the Penal Code.
However, magistrate Suzana Mokhtar postponed the plea to Aug 27 pending the presence of a Mandarin interpreter, as the teenager did not understand the charge read in Bahasa Malaysia.
Bail was set at RM1,500 and RM2,000 for Tan and the teenager, respectively.
Meanwhile, Lau was separately charged in the same court under Section 324 for causing hurt to a 41-year-old man with a machete at the same location, date and time.
The court fixed Sept 3 for case mention, pending legal counsel appointment and document exchange. Lau was granted RM5,000 bail with one surety.
Prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutors Yasmin Mohd Piah and Nur Ameerah Allaudeen, while Nor Hafizah Abdullah of the National Legal Aid Foundation represented Lau.