(From fourth left) Tan and Chong with their legal team outside the court room.
KUCHING: The trial of two Democratic Action Party (DAP) representatives Chong Chieng Jen and Julian Tan, which on May 5 had been adjourned, continued yesterday with the prosecution’s final witness being called to testify.
Chong, who is Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament, and Tan, who is Stampin Member of Parliament, have been charged under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012 for taking part in Bersih 4.0 two years ago.
Witness ASP Ricky Poh told the court that he lodged three police reports regarding the case.
The first report on the assembly was made at the Padungan police station, but another report was later filed at the Central police station as the venue of the incident, in front of Kuching Hilton, comes under the latter’s jurisdiction.
Later a third report was filed because there had been a spelling mistake for one of the organisers’ names.
Poh said on the day of the incident, a crowd moved from Kuching Hilton to the Song Kheng Hai ground, with some participants holding banners.
He was the prosecution’s seventh witness.
Both Chong and Tan allegedly participated in the rally on Aug 29, 2015.
They are facing a charge under Section 4(2)(c) of the PAA, which provides for a maximum fine of RM10,000.
If they are convicted, they could both be disqualified from politics and standing for elections for five years should the fine exceed RM2,000.