The Kuala Lumpur High Court will tomorrow visit Bukit Jenalik in Sauk to see for itself the area which was used as a hideout by a group of men, claimed to be members of the Al-Ma'unah group, after allegedly stealing a cache of arms from two army camps on July 2.

Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin allowed an application by Karpal Singh (photo), counsel for Al-Ma'unah leader Mohd Amin Mohd Razali, to visit the area to obtain a better picture of the events that were claimed to have occurred there.

Karpal said he wanted to see the place before cross-examining witness Sergeant Mohd Shah Ahmad on his ordeal as a hostage of the group for four days and three nights.

Special branch officer Mohd Shah yesterday recounted his experience of being held by the group, testifying on the tortures he was subjected to as well as on the killings of his colleague Det R Sagadevan and soldier Matthew Medan [#1](Witness forced to bury colleague, court told[/#], Oct 31)

Karpal said the defendants should be given every opportunity to defend themselves based on the gravity of the charge which carries a death sentence or a life imprisonment and thus must be allowed to visit the place so that the witness could be cross-examined properly.

Attorney-General Mohtar Abdullah said he did not object to the application to the visit in principle but added that such a visit could cause practical difficulties.

Sketch plan

"It concerns the security aspect as well administrative matter as we will have to make arrangements for all the defendants, the court staff and others for the visit," he said.

He added that Mohd Shah had given clear and precise evidence on what had happened at Bukit Jenalik during that period.

"The prosecution will also provide a sketch plan of the area as well as other photographs. These could be used as reference," he added.

He also said the charge was on waging war against the country and Bukit Jenalik was only part of the place of incident.

He, however, said he left it to the court to make a ruling on the matter and said that the prosecution team will make arrangements as soon as possible for a visit if the court allows for one.

Following a 30-minute break, all defence counsel were informed that the visit will be made tomorrow morning.

Captors identified

Earlier, continuing his examination-in-chief, Mohtar asked Mohd Shah if he could still recognise any of the men who held him captive from July 3.

Mohd Shah said he was able to observe his captors during his four-day ordeal, and went on to identify 27 of the 29 defendants as those at Bukit Jenalik.

Mohd Shah also said he was freed after the arrival of four armoured vehicles to the hill on July 6 and was asked to walk back to Sek Keb Bukit Jenalik together with another hostage, villager Jaafar Putih and one of Mohd Amin's men.

He also identified to the court Lt-Gen Zaini Mohd Said as the person who arrived in one of the armoured vehicles.

The 29 Al-Ma'unah members are charged under section 121 of the Penal Code for waging war against the Yang diPertuan Agong, which carries the punishment of death or life sentence, or a fine, if found guilty of waging war or abetting to wage war in the country.

They are alleged to have committed the offence between June and July 6 at Pos 2, Km 19, Kuala Rui, Jalanraya Timur-Barat, Grik; Batalion 304, Infantri (AW), Kem Grik, Grik; and in Bukit Jenalik, Sauk, all in Perak [#2](Twenty-nine Al-Ma'unah members claim trial[/#], Aug 9).

They are alleged to have stolen a cache of weapons and ammunition from two military camps by impersonating as army officers in the early hours of July 2.

It was widely reported that some of them were arrested on July 6 after surrendering at Bukit Jenalik.