Chinese nationals face 40 years over kidnapping of Singaporean at Malaysia airport

Four Chinese nationals pleaded not guilty in a Malaysian court on Sept. 10 to kidnapping a 72-year-old Singaporean man at Penang International Airport and holding him for a S$1 million ransom, about $780,000. Liu Ting Jun, 46, Huang Jian, 39, Wang Hao Yu, 32, and Guan Siqi, 24, the only woman among them, entered their pleas after the charge was read to them in Mandarin before Judge Ahzal Fariz Ahmad Khairuddin, Bernama reported.All four were denied bail. The Sessions Court in Balik Pulau, on Penang island, fixed Oct. 15 for mention and the submission of documents.The charge sheet accuses them of jointly abducting and wrongfully confining Quek Aik Teng at the airport in Bayan Lepas at 4:15 p.m. on July 26.It also names two further suspects still at large and two others who have since died.They face one count under Section 3(1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961, read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which covers acts carried out with common intention. Conviction carries 30 to 40 years in prison and caning. Drone photo of Penang International Airport in Penang, Malaysia, December 2024. Photo by HundenvonPenang Deputy public prosecutor Ikmal Affendi Zulkifly opposed bail, citing the gravity of the offense and the public interest, and said the accused men's passports were still being verified with the Immigration Department.Lawyer Edward Ng, for Liu, argued that his client had cooperated with police and had no prior criminal record, Bernama reported.The Star reported that Ng also offered a distant relative living and working in Malaysia as surety.Counsel Azizul Hilmi Zulkifli, representing the other three, offered to surrender their passports, have them report regularly to a local police station and bar them from approaching prosecution witnesses.Quek was one of two people rescued on Aug. 7, when police raided a house in Taman Amira, Telaga Bata, in Alor Setar, Kedah. He is safe and has received medical attention, the Singapore Police Force said.His family had alerted the Singapore police on Aug. 4 after receiving information that he had been kidnapped and that a ransom had been demanded. The force said it relayed the information to the Royal Malaysia Police.Quek had flown to Penang after answering an advertisement for a consultant's job, Free Malaysia Today reported.The Singapore police said the syndicate used Telegram, WeChat and Badoo to strike up acquaintances with targets, then invited them to meet in person under the pretext of a holiday, a job or socializing.He sent his family a voice message over WhatsApp on Aug. 4 saying he had been kidnapped and would be freed only if the money was paid, Kumar said. The family made three transfers totaling about RM48,000, or S$15,000, into accounts the group controlled.The ring had at least four victims, Kumar said, including two people taken in Kuala Lumpur in July.The New Straits Times reported that the group moved between short-term rental properties and had taken the Alor Setar house for a single night. The second person rescued there was a 33-year-old Chinese woman.