Four individuals have claimed trial to charges under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, in relation to the ‘Himpunan Hijau’ gathering held in Raub, Pahang, last September.

NONE They include two members of the organising committee, Wong Kin Hoong (left) , 65, and Tengku Shahadan Tengku Jaafar, 61.

Raub Sessions Court judge Sharizat Ismail set bail at RM3,000 each and fixed Sept 19 for mention of their cases.

Wong and Shahadan were alleged to have violated a pre-condition imposed by the Raub police district in a written agreement. Wong had signed the document, while Shahadan had acted as witness and seconder.

The Act empowers the district police head to impose conditions in relation to the venue, time, duration and manner of a gathering.

The protestors had allegedly violated the pre-condition by marching from the football field at the Raub municipal council’s sports complex - where the rally was held - to a federal building nearby, between 2pm and 4.30pm on Sept 2, 2013.

The duo were charged under Section 15(2)(c) of the Act. Upon conviction, they are liable to a maximum fine of RM10,000 each.

The other two individuals - Liew Chee Cheong, 43, and Chan Lai Yoong, 32 - were charged under Section 4(2)(f) of the Act.

NONE They are alleged to have taken their children to the rally and face a fine of up to RM20,000 each upon conviction. The Act bars those below the age of 15 from participating in such gatherings.

This is the first time any individual has been charged in relation to child participants, noted lawyer Roger Chan, who is representing Wong and Shahadan.

Liew, who lives in Puchong, Selangor, is said to have taken two sons, aged six and seven, to the gathering.

Chan, who is from Bentong, Pahang, was charged with taking her five-year-old daughter to the rally.

The rally was held on Sept 2 last year at Padang Kompleks Sukan in Bukit Koman, to protest the use of cynide in gold mining operations by Raub Australian Gold Mine (RAGM).

More than 10,000 people attended the gathering. They marched to the RAGM office when the company’s representative failed to show up to accept a memorandum from the organiser.