Sixteen individuals who barged into the Penang state legislative assembly in May last year have pleaded guilty for trespassing.
Magistrate Catherine Nicholas imposed a fine of RM1,500 for 15 of the accused, in default two months jail and a fine of RM1,000 for the 16th accused, in default one month's jail.
The two most prominent faces among the accused were Perkasa Youth chief Rizuad Mohd Azudin, 37, and Penang Umno Youth vice-chief Jasmin Noordin, 40.
The others are Mohd Ridzwan Bakar, 54, Hisham Ahmad Sabri, 43, Afriz Mohd Noor, 36, Rosesarwandi Saad@Yaacob, 33, Hisham Abdul Hamid, 38, Mohd Nashrol Hisham Abdullah, 38, Azmeal Abu Bakar, 42, Mohamad Yusmadi Mohad Yusof, 34, Mohd Hilmie Ibrahim, 37, Nordin Wahab, 41, Mohamed Ghani Abd Jiman, 48, Wan Abidin Zain, 51, and Mohamed Ibrahim A. Siahoo, 31 and Wan Norazman Ariffin.
They were charged under Section 448 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of three years, a maximum fine of RM5,000, or both.
Lawyer Jaharberdeen Mohamed Yunoos for the first 15 accused mitigated for a lighter sentence, conceding that his clients' actions were indeed wrong.
He said they were provoked by DAP Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer who allegedly labelled Umno 'celaka' (damned) during a state assembly sitting in May last year.
Rayer was charged under the Sedition Act on Aug 27 last year for allegedly uttering the word to incite public disorder.
'Killing democracy'
Rosli Ismail, lawyer for the 16th accused, Wan Norazman, also asked for a lighter sentence for his client claiming he was a mere "spectator" during the incident.
In pressing for a deterrent sentence, Deputy Public Prosecutor Razali Che Ani said an appropriate sentence should be imposed so others would learn respect the august House.
Wong Hon Wai, the Penang chief minister's political secretary, expressed disappointment at the light sentences meted out to the intruders.
He said under the parliamentary democracy system in Commomwealth countries, the assembly has the highest authority.
"Everyone should respect it but Umno Youth does not bother about that and occupied the state assembly by force.
"This is equivalent to killing democracy and causing the democratic government to stop operating," said Wong (right) who witnessed the incident as he had attended the assembly as the Air Itam assemblyman.
He reminded the Penang assembly had then called for a emergency motion to condemn the intruders and he had proposed the intruders - which he described as "gangsters" - be arrested and locked-up by police and charged in court the following day.
During the motion to condemn the intrusion, the 40 assemblypersons present were asked to make their stand.
"The 10 Umno representatives abstained showing they can't control those maniacs. They showed that they agreed with the actions of the intruders," Wong said. - M'kini
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