BUTTERWORTH: Thirteen people, including two teenagers and a woman, were charged for participating in an illegal funeral procession.

       M Thiruselvaan, 21; M Jagan, 24; Surendran Peeter William, 21; and M Guganeswaran, 21; pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to them before magistrate M Kalaiarasi on Friday (June 25).

       Thiruselvaan was charged with having a gang-related tattoo at his right shoulder while Jagan, Surendran and Guganeswaran faced charges of having swastika and coin logo banners in their possession during the illegal funeral procession at about 2.50pm along Jalan Siram here on Thursday (June 17).

       All four were charged under Section 52 (3) of the Societies Act 1966, which carries a jail term of up to five years and a maximum fine of RM15,000, upon conviction.

       Kalaiarasi set bail at RM3,000 for each of the accused with one surety and fixed Aug 3 for mention.

       At a Sessions Court, the four men were also charged with violating the movement control order by being involved in a funeral procession from Teluk Air Tawar to the crematorium in Jalan Siram.

       They were charged together with nine other people, including two teeenagers and a woman, before Sessions judge Norhayati Mohd Yunus.

       S Munesvaran, 24; KS Surendran, 35; B Subramaniam, 23; K Yeshwar, 22; S Logeswari, 23; and two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, pleaded guilty to participating in an illegal funeral procession.

       They were charged under Rule 9 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2021.

       The offence carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or six months' jail or both, upon conviction.

       Five of the accused were fined RM6,000 each while the two teenagers were allowed RM1,000 bail, pending a behavioral report from the Welfare Department before the court could make a decision.

       The remainder claimed trial to the charge.

       Norhayati fixed bail at RM3,000 with one surety each and ordered them to report to the nearest police station every month until the end of the case.

       She also set Aug 3 for mention.

       All accused were represented by lawyers from the National Legal Aid Foundation while Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim and Mohammad Syafiq Nasrullah prosecuted.